it's over. move to somnia.

(prev) i kiss boys (next)

 
Heh.

To be from a random, faceless city.

peachy as always, Mike at 5:53 PM

 
VOTE!

And if you have some extra time to kill, try this.
peachy as always, Mike at 5:44 PM

 
Go here.

peachy as always, Mike at 7:27 PM

 
Turd

Came to senses. Not going to London. Better to stay, study, do finals. See Italy. Just not happy about wasting the money, but oh well.
peachy as always, Mike at 5:43 AM

 
Nerd

So, then. To explain "all the schoolwork" I mentioned yesterday:

-I gave an in-class presentation based on my final paper in Public Sector Economics. I talked about the relationship between religiosity and economic growth, and among the conclusions I rustled up: devotion rises with education, churchgoing is bad for the economy, believing in hell is good for growth, and the Protestant Reformation was actually a fundamentalist revolution that accidentally led to a realignment of economic attitudes in favor of efficiency.

-I'm studying for Thursday's final exam in Political Systems of the Developing World.

-I've been going some rather underexciting homework in International Trade Theory.

-Oh, and I spent the majority of my waking hours this past week (true!) working on the class yearbook, which we hope to have published next week.

So I'm going to London (yes, again) for the weekend to relax. I think.
peachy as always, Mike at 5:06 AM

 
Author/Cheerleader

So I just had this published in the school paper, and this has finally come to pass. It's a good day.

Just wish I weren't so tired from all the schoolwork I'm doing.
peachy as always, Mike at 12:31 PM

 


create your own personalized map of the USA
or write about it on the open travel guide

peachy as always, Mike at 1:25 PM

 


create your own visited country map
or write about it on the open travel guide

peachy as always, Mike at 10:30 AM

 
Academic

Yesterday marked the accession of ten new countries to the European Union. I had been paying attention to the process largely as a curiosity: it’s interesting enough in itself, but as a non-European, it didn’t mean much in particular to me.* My classmates had an impromptu party at a local bar (because, hey, a celebration’s a celebration). It was only as I was congratulating three of my classmates (a Latvian, a Pole, and a Slovak) on their new EU citizenship that it struck me how much it was going to mean to them and their loved ones—they were now eligible to work in London without a visa, which for many people means they are now able to work. Silly American.

Today I finally (finally!) read Samuel Huntington’s The Clash of Civilizations—along with Francis Fukuyama’s The End of History, one of the most iconic essays of international relations in the post-Cold War era—and while I see its flaws (which tend to be more famous than the thesis itself), there is still a good amount to chew on. Basic cultural values differ across the globe and it’s hard to ignore one’s core beliefs in the interests of neighborliness.

It reminds me of a conversation I had with the Slovak (A.) and another classmate (O., a Ukrainian) as we were on our way to see a documentary about the lives of young Chilean activists during the Pinochet years.** We spotted a social realist carving on the façade of an apartment building, and A. commented on how much she hated it, how ugly it was, how much it reminded her of all the negative attributes of growing up in a communist society. (Bologna, by the way, is to this day riddled with communist sympathizers—this is one of the main reasons SAIS located its European campus here: understand and infiltrate the enemy.) O., in contrast, said that she still retained an affection for it: the idea behind the art is rather romantic and the strong, solid lines of it were beautiful in what I suggested was a vaguely Mexican-muralist aesthetic. The conversation swung from there to the bizarreness, 15 years removed, of life in communism. (“Honor to the work,” they said at the start of each day at school.) I had nothing else to offer, but it was more than enough for me just to listen. It's an old saw, but I've learned much more outside the classroom than in.


*As a student and traveler, the particular case of Cyprus was meaningful, but that’s for another essay.

**No, our lives are not wholly consumed by the topics we study. We also drink. (see above)

peachy as always, Mike at 1:12 PM

 
Bachelor

So I'm 26. When I was in college, that seemed old. I'm happy to report that I don't feel old. Well, I didn't feel old until I found out that my college roommate (Mr. Y) broke up with his girlfriend of four years and got engaged to another young woman he met in medical school. Which means that next year, for the first time, I'm going to be in a friend's wedding party.

Which is a little scary.

(No, I'm not seeing anyone...why do you ask?)
peachy as always, Mike at 4:13 AM

 
Polyglot

OK, so. Languages. Despite the loads of encouragement I've gotten from friends of the years, I've always felt like I'm not really good at other languages. Reading, good. Writing, great. Spitting out a phrase or two, fine. But I've always likened holding a conversation in another language to breathing under water. It just doesn't feel natural and it makes me really nervous.

So you can imagine my distress when I had to try breathing under water for real. But I did it! I went scuba diving for the first time last week. I spent so much of the first dive focusing on not hyperventilating and keeping seawater out of my mask that I barely had time to wave at the anemones and enjoy the feeling of coral stratching my ankles. (I was so exhausted when I got back to the surface that I barely noticed the leech dropping off my suit. (Yes, ew.)

My second dive was so much better, it was amazing. It really is completely unlike anything else I've ever done, and while I'm not jumping at the chance to do it again, it was still an experience I'm thankful to have had.

And now, strangely, I feel much more confident in my Italian.

peachy as always, Mike at 5:07 AM

 
First Foray

...into the Muslim world. Going on vacation for two weeks in Turkey. Very excited. Details to follow.

(Yes, just like the details of my first foray into Scandinavia: eventually.)
peachy as always, Mike at 7:55 PM

 
It May Not Be an April Fools' Day Joke, But This Is Still Pretty Funny
peachy as always, Mike at 12:24 PM

 
The Scandi-Fest recap is delayed, as I have been busy with decompressing following my one-two punch of midterms. However, there's this:

Paranoiac

I think my ears are trying to kill me.

Maybe I'm being a little overdramatic in saying so. The thing is, they're assumed a Tell-Tale Heart-caliber sensitivity. I have to wear earplugs to sleep. I have to wear earplugs to study*--otherwise, I absolutely cannot concentrate. I am apparently the only person in this school who gets (murderously) offended when my classmates hold side conversations during lecture,** because it is so extremely distracting. I think I am alone in feeling overwhelmed by the reverberations of ordinary chatter in the school lobby. (The acoustics there are crazy.)

Where is it going to end? Am I going to find myself moaning in agony over the clatter of dropping a pencil and rush to jab it in my ear to make the pain stop? Yow!

Please wish me well...but no too loud. I'm trying to sleep. (And of course I can hear you.)


*Frequently, I'll be reading in the library and someone will come up and talk to me and it may take a minute before I register his or her presence and pop the little suckers out.

**(Bitches! Bitches! Bitches!) That is so rude, I cannot believe adults--and intelligent adults, one would think--could carry on like that. It disgusts me.

peachy as always, Mike at 12:14 PM

 
Show-off

The other day during my Theories of International Relations course, Professor K was describing the rise of international liberalism (not to be confused with domestic-politics liberalism, which is a whole 'nother philosophy) and the idea of collective action, and he mentioned that rationally there is rationally no reason for people to contribute to the common good if they know that other people will pay for what needs to be provided.

"Not even opprobrium?" I said absently. (Honest!)

"Good point, but we'll get to that later," he said, continuing with the lecture.

Which would be fine, except I already noticed the smirking glances, especially the one from S, a sweet young woman sitting nearby who had scolded me in the past for daring to ask questions during lecture despite being--gasp!--an auditor. ("It makes us all [everyone who is actually enrolled] look bad!") After the lecture, a few of my classmates ribbed me for throwing out a ten-dollar word...but...but...it was the right word!

We're all educated people here, I presumed. I don't get why it's such a big deal for us to communicate on a level appropriate to the situation. Is anti-intellectualism really so pervasive?


[next time: the story of Scandi-fest '04, in which our hero confronts rain, wind, the Danish language, poor scheduling, and something called a "naughty room" (it's worse than you think) in pursuit of a relaxing weekend out of town]
peachy as always, Mike at 2:38 PM

 
Jet-setter

Am going to Copenhagen tomorrow to visit a friend from high school.

Am slightly bummed that the weater only just turned nice here as I head north.
peachy as always, Mike at 12:01 PM

 
Clotheshorse

I lost a sweater at a club last Friday. It's been sticking in the back of my mind since then, since it's one of those articles of clothing I really liked (i.e. it fit and wasn't ugly). I don't really find all that many articles of clothing that I like, but when I do, I generally wear them to death.

This sweater wasn't really all that special--thin cotton, $10 at Old Navy, immediately replaceable when I get home--but the fact that something so easily available and so cheap in one context and yet so...well, important in another gave me pause.
peachy as always, Mike at 11:58 AM

 
Big Fish

Tim Burton's latest film opened here today, months and months after the States got to see it. It's part comedy and part fantasy--it's Tim Burton, baby--but boiled down, it's the story of a father and son who can't seem to communicate on the same level. So of course I was sniffling when they managed to bridge their gap at the end. It was great.

...which naturally means I had to walk out of the theater next to a classmate who happily announced, "It was so-so. You know Tim Burton: nice visuals, no emotion."

...and then when I got home and called my dad (which I was planning to do before the film, so help me God), he couldn't wait to talk about the award-deserving cinematography of The Passion of the Christ.

It is as it was.
peachy as always, Mike at 7:54 PM

 
The Sun is Out!

Good thing I'm going to be spending a big chunk of the day formatting my briefing paper.
peachy as always, Mike at 5:08 AM

 
Twitchy

My right eyelid's been wigging out on me for the past few days. Maybe it's all the tension I've been holding in about my endlessly unsatisfactory schedule and my uncertain summer plans and my Kashmir paper/presentation (due! Tuesday!) and the bizarre goings-on in the political world and whatever else is bugging me. Oh, and the cabin fever. (It's still snowing here. Still.) Or maybe I'm just having a freak-out moment.

On the upside, I went to hear the symphony yesterday. That was nice.
peachy as always, Mike at 5:31 PM

 
Bewaaaaaare! Paaaaaintbaaaaaaall!

The case may have its merits, but seriously: paintball is a step beyond laser tag. It's a game, people.
peachy as always, Mike at 9:14 AM

 
Choices, Choices

I took too long choosing my courses for this semester. I went to about 16 different classes over the first two weeks, because I really wanted to make sure I knew what was out there and make an informed choice--which is made more difficult by the fact that the required courses are all scheduled at overlapping times. (Brilliant, just brilliant.) So I turned my registration in two days after the "official deadline" (although the reg packet said that we could turn in forms until the end of the week for a smallish late fee), and got a rather nasty email from the director of academic affairs (cc'd to the registrar and--inexplicably--the student body president) about how I was an inconsiderate oaf and singlehandedly tearing the university apart from within.* The impulse to write a rude reply of my own has remained pretty strong; I've been in kind of a brittle mood all day, and I really hope it didn't show to anyone. Doesn't help that every news report I come across (and The News is a big part of life in IR-land) features another shocking statement from someone who has altogether too much power for his (and the world's) own good.

It was nice to just come home and cook a big pot of stew while listening to seethe-rock. And now I get to do 100 pages of reading for class tomorrow...all about conflict management. Happy Ash Wednesday!

*hyperbole is all mine.
peachy as always, Mike at 4:54 PM

 
The First of What Will Admittedly Be Many Opinion Pieces Here about the Hot Button Topic of Gay Marriage

I know things can't always be sunshine and roses, and I accept that there are always going to be differences of opinion on issues that people are sensitive about. But that doesn't mean I can't hate Schwarzenegger for all the dumb things he says. Thank you, voters of California. Thank you for driving me into a BLIND FUCKING RAGE.
peachy as always, Mike at 10:06 AM

 
Politics Is Stupid

The US primary process annoys me. Why is everyone so eager to declare the selection over, when none of the five largest states have had a chance to vote? California, Texas, New York, Illinois, Florida, Ohio, Pennsylvania...do they not matter at all?

I liked Dean. I think he brought energy to the campaign and I'm sorry to see him drop out so soon.
peachy as always, Mike at 10:04 AM

 
Done!

Done done done done done! After six months of toil and agony and bewilderment and mind-stretching, I'm finally done with...my first semester.

Three to go.
peachy as always, Mike at 11:38 AM

 
So Far I've Been To...



create your own visited country map
or write about it on the open travel guide
peachy as always, Mike at 2:00 PM

 
Is It Any Surprise?

I am an Intellectual



Which America Hating Minority Are You?

Take More Robert & Tim Quizzes
Watch Robert & Tim Cartoons


peachy as always, Mike at 4:36 PM

 
The Sounds of New Year's Eve in Rome's Piazza del Popolo

Bang!^1 Bang!^2 Scusi!^3 Whoosh!^4 Pfzzzzz!^5 Tanti auguri!^6 BANG!^7 Fshhh!^8 Eep!^9 Crash!^10 Whoooo!^11

1. Firecracker (noise only: decibel equivalent to gunshot)
2. Ibid
3. "Excuse me!": A thousand people trying to push past me over the course of a minute
4. Firecracker (flying, colorful)
5. Firecracker (spinning, spark-emitting: tossed on ground in a crowded area)
6. "Happy new year!"
7. Like #1, but battle-ready
8. Dozens of spumanti (not champagne) bottles opening at once
9. The sounds of people in my party reacting to getting sparkling wine on clothes, in hair, up noses as result of #8
10. All those bottles simultaneously hitting the ground in a just-cleared area five feet from where I was standing
11. "Hey, this is a lot of fun!"
peachy as always, Mike at 3:43 AM