Tedger.com

The title of this post probably sounds a little unusual.  That’s because it is.  For those of you who are fans of off-color humor check out You Look Nice Today: A Journal of Emotional Hygiene. For those of you easily offended and white you should probably still check it out. (This itself is an off color joke ha! A meta joke!)  Enough about the title though.  I’ve stolen their title and have totally ignored their use.

To say I’ve been a bit of a mess the last few months is a touch of an understatement.  If you read this blog you already know part of the reason for this.  The next reason is that I haven’t graduated.  I was supposed to in May, but didn’t This is partially a result of the first reason, and mostly a result of my own stupidity.  I let non-academic things get in the way of school work.  Which, if you didn’t know, is a pretty bad move.  These two rather dramatic changes in my life have lead to a fairly nasty mess. (For an example of something approximating this mess, see image at right.)

Quite frankly, enough of it.  I need to get moving on making an improvement.  My single goal for this summer has been just that, but I haven’t really gone about doing much to reach this goal.  I’m only working part time this summer (10-4 Monday-Thursday) which is helping a ton (although not helping my wallet), this was a really good move.  I need to do more though.  So here is my plan, enumerated in quasi-chronological order from planned start date of the item.  I’m posting it here as a bit of a check on myself.   If people know about it, in theory, I have a little more then myself to move for progress, I also have the guilt of knowing that other people know my plans (negative motivator, bad thing, or good thing shrug).

1. (Started) Post more frequently and substantively on Tedger.com.    –I’ve started on this already.  If you subscribe to the new RSS feeds you’ll be getting this in several forms.  So far I’m at over a month running posting new Pictures of the Week (substantive and frequent enough).  I post something new on the tumbleblog about once every two days on average (frequent, not very substantive, typically amusing).  Lastly, I’ve been fairly good about new content here, on the main blog, and I’m going to try to keep this up.  I like including images in the posts.  Pictures liven things up, this is going to continue.  Lastly, if you use Twitter (see “Status:” on the sidebar or go here) I update that at least once a day, if not more.  An asside: twitter is sweet, check it out, if you join follow me!
2. (Started) Clean my room.  — I’m not even kidding.  It’s been a total mess lately, not unlike me.  This is in progress.  I had a pile of clothes (clean) on my floor until about 30 minutes ago.  It had been sitting there for at least a week.  The room still isn’t entirely in order, but it’s better.  Tomorrow I’ll continue the work.
3. (Tomorrow) Go to Student Counseling. — I went once, I haven’t been back.  This is purely out of my own laziness.  They called me to schedule a more regular appointment and I never got back to them.  I’m calling tomorrow.
4. (End of the Week) Watch more Films – Ian and I have Netflix, and we haven’t been using it.  This is going to change.  I’m returning the three movies that we have right now (and haven’t watched) and we’re getting fresh ones.  I enjoy good movies and I need to see more.
5. (July 1st) Develop a plan to Lose weight –  This deserves it’s own post.  The short version however is that I need to do it.  Losing weight, or at least reaching a healthy one, helps with emotional well being and is just good for me in general.  This requires a plan in it’s own, and is going to get one.
6. (July 31st) Move –  I’m going to be homeless the night of July 31st (assuming the tenant in my new apartment doesn’t vacate early).  I need to figure out what I’m doing with myself, and my stuff, that night.  This is a work in progress, but has a deadline of July 31st.
7. (Oct 1st) Volunteer for the Democratic Party – I don’t just need this, I think everyone needs it.  I do truly believe that Barack Obama represents a new beginning to American politics.  In the last decade we’ve become too divisive, too dismissive.  We scoff at the notions of people we see as political opponents without even listening.  It’s time for it to end.  Come November 4th I want to know I was a part of making it happen.
8. (Oct) Find a (new) Job — This year is my break, I don’t need any more breaks before Law school.  Law Schools also don’t start till the fall (for the most part).  I’m going to need a job till then.
9. (Dec. 20th) Graduate – Obvious solution to the second issue that has caused this whole mess.
10. (Jan ‘09) Apply to Law Schools – Becoming a lawyer is step one for a much longer plan.  I can’t become a lawyer without getting into law school.

So there it is.  This is going to change.  I’m going to be adding things and completing things.  The list is a work in progress just like the end goal.  Things will be completed, others will be added, it’s a working document and now it’s public.

Maybe I should have added “Sleep” somewhere on that list.  Either way, it’s time to get some.

Despite not posting anything over all of break I do have stuff to say (and a PoTW that will go up soon) about it. I’ve noticed this before but for some reason it seemed particularly acute this time around, the UAE is incredibly consumeristic, disgustingly so. It’s as if they took consumerism from the US, and kicked it up a few notches and when they ran out of room they added another notch and moved it there. This dial now goes go 11.

This trend is an increasing one as well. Since I was in Abu Dhabi last winter break two full size malls have opened (one while I was there this last time) and a huge addition has been made to one of the existing ones. Everyone has heard of the Dubai palms and judging by the cars parked outside some of the apartments there the grotesquely rich certainly have.

We talk about social stratification and exclusion of American emigrants to the United States but the UAE has taken that system to a whole new level as well. Hundreds of thousands (I say this conservatively since I don’t know the actual figure, it’s probably millions) of guest workers are employed in the UAE with few rights and no chance of becoming citizens. For the most part these people have the jobs that Emirates don’t want, you know construction, and taxi drivers, and grocery store clerks, fast food servers. Sound strange? Yeah, even Americans will work at McDonalds but don’t expect to see an Emiratie standing on the other side of the drive through window. In America we export our labor, in the UAE they import the people.

It’s enough to make you a little queasy really.

This is going to be a bit of a rant and I apologize for that. This semester I’m taking International Studies 235 to fulfill some graduation requirements and boy am I regretting it. I’m sure you’re thinking “Oh? But TJ, it’s only a two hundred level class, it should be easy!” You’d be right, it is easy. Very easy.

One example of how easy it is. The class has seven (yes seven) books assigned to it. Load of crap, each costs around $15 or more (used) resulting in about a $120 book bill. With that much fluff I decided to not buy the books before the first day of class and see if some were really optional and avoid some ding to my wallet. Turns out they’re all required but further examination reveals that they’re all also at the library, some at the Ames Public as well (yep that’s how “academic” this is, you can get the books at the public library). So I’ve yet to buy a book and I’ve managed to do all the needed reading with ease without checking a book out. There’s so little information in them that I’ve never had to leave Parks with a copy in my hand.

Next example. The professor loves the idea of using multimedia to enhance the learning experience. At least that’s the way I’m sure he’d put it. Most people I know have heard me rant about this before. By multimedia I mean YouTube, and by enhance I mean supplant. We watch so many youtube videos (relevant videos but still videos) that I call this my YouTube class. We generally spend between 15 and 30 minutes each class (90 minute classes, twice a week) to watch Youtube. It’s ridiculous. One day the professor’s laptop wasn’t working and he actually lectured. AND IT WAS GOOD! The guy is a good lecturer! He can teach! I was so happy with the class I sent him an email and told him that I thought that lecture was really good that day and that maybe he should consider cutting back on the videos because they seem to detract from his abilities to teach.

I never received a reply and he went right back to playing Youtube the next time the class met.

Today was going to be my day to work on my “Indy Research Assignment” (yep he said “Indy” instead of “Independent”) which is really just a 4-5 page research paper (double spaced). I downloaded the assignment from the class website and read it over for the first time It’s due thursday so I have plenty of time but wanted to get started. Then I got to the bottom of the second paragraph: “First, you need to pitch me the project. Please send me an e-mail with your topic and a brief description of how you plan to approach it. … The sooner I receive your proposal, the sooner you may begin.” WHAT A LOAD OF SHIT! I’m livid. I realize that this is a sophomore level class but that kind of crap I wouldn’t expect of a class past the sophomore year of high school!

We’re college students not kindergartners, you don’t need to hold our hands on picking research topics or for crossing the street. I sat down today planning on being productive and getting this assignment done. Instead I sit here twiddling my thumbs because I have to wait for this moron of a professor to send me the second half of the assignment because he doesn’t think I’m capable of picking a simple research topic. Wasting your time (class time) with me by showing me Youtube was bad enough now you’re wasting my time Dr. Carter.

So if you’ve been following the news you’ll know that the primary season for this coming presidential election is in an uproar. Florida and Michigan, ignoring both the National Republican and Democratic parties, have moved their primaries up in order to make their states more prominent in the schedule. The changes have resulted in the national parties revoking Florida and Michigan’s delegates to the national conventions and, more importantly to me, the dates of other primaries and caucuses have changed to keep “first in nation” statuses.

The Iowa Democratic Party just announced that they’re moving the caucuses to January 3rd. This makes me angry. I’m not going to be able to participate now. I’m going to be in the UAE. You can’t participate in a caucus by absentee ballot. I wouldn’t want it any other way but it kind of screws me over.

Thanks a lot Florida and Michigan. Especially Florida, haven’t you messed up elections enough recently?

TJ: 1 Rachel: 0

Last night and this morning I was fortunate enough to have Rachel invite me to sit in on Yom Kippur services at the Ames Jewish Community Synagogue. It was really interesting because despite seeing many other religious practices in action I really hadn’t seen anything of Judaism other than Rachel illegally lighting a menorah for Chanukah in the dorms (Shhhh! Don’t tell the RAs!).

I got to hear plenty about jewish guilt (it was after all, the day of repentance) and hear plenty about how Rachel’s temple back home did things better…. errr…. differently.

I also found the Jewish idea of repenting to god (”God” or “god”? I’ll go with god being an agnostic shrug) for your sins against him/her/it (again shrug) and and directly repenting to individuals for your sins against them. I think that christians might have taken a step backwards in this department. All in all it was very cool to be there.

Oh, and since I’m sure Rachel will throw it in the comments no matter what I do, I did nod off a little at the morning service. Very briefly, but Rachel caught me because I almost dropped the hymnal that isn’t a hymnal because it’s jewish and has prayers. I feel horrible about it and apologized profusely afterwards. I was told that I wasn’t the first one to do it so I should feel bad, but I do, and I think I should. If I were jewish I guess I’d have to wait till next Yom Kippur to repent for it anyway.

As I write this I’m sitting on the Capitol Limited, Amtrak Train 30. We’re pulling out of Cumberland Maryland at 1:24 PM local time. The train was supposed to get into Union Station in DC at 11:49 AM. I’m beginning to wonder why I even considered the train and how I was drawn in. When I originally had the idea of riding the train out to DC I was easily drawn in by the romantic images of train travel that Amtrak puts up on their website. A long train banks of lit windows coming around a bend in the tracks, lit by the moon and the lights inside. It’s a very enticing image.

But for all the imagery there is I don’t think that it can save american train travel. Cars are faster and –so long as gas doesn’t get that much higher– cheaper. If you buy your tickets long enough ahead of time planes and just as inexpensive. That isn’t to say that trains don’t have things going for them. Trains do live up to their romantic ideal in some ways. The Lounge cars allow you to look out onto the views (as I am doing now) with ease. Allowing you to take in the countryside, something you can’t do on a plane. On the same note you can’t be as stress free in a car; intestates are as busy as ever and it’s awfully nice to have someone else at the wheel.

All of these things considered trains I would say come out even, one other thing comes into play though, reliability. European trains arrive on time and leave on time. Amtrak is no TGV but I was at least under the impression that it would get me there in a reasonable time frame, not so I’m afraid.

My trip this started out in Oceola Iowa (the nearest stop to Ames and still about an hour and a half away). My Grandfather and I pulled up to the old depot, which was in a minor state of disrepair, about an hour early. Because of how much time we had I decided to call the 800 number to check on the train status. It was expected to be 5 hours behind. The major issue with this being that my connecting train (the Capitol Limited) was leaving only 2 hours after the scheduled arrival. I would be late, and would most likely be spending the night in Chicago. The agent told me that I could get a full refund on my tickets so I called my Dad and after talking to him decided to drive the first leg and catch the Limited in Chicago.

The car ride wasn’t too long and at least going into town traffic wasn’t horrendous (thanks again Mom and Dad). I got to the station on time, took a few pictures, waited in line, and boarded the train. There was no expected delays and everything was looking good. We departed only about 5 minutes late because of the number of people booked on the trip made finding seats for everyone difficult. We make our way out of the station, I introduce myself to the gentleman sitting next to me, and we talked for a while. Dennis was taking the train for the first time as well and seemed to be drawn in by the good customer service and the same romantic images that I was. He was heading for Florida to spend some time at a timeshare. I decided that I had talked long enough with Dennis (my ears were going to fall off) so I decided to go to the lounge car to watch the Pink Panther.

Eventually as the movie was playing we begin pulling through Gary Indiana. The train stops. The head conductor came on the intercom to tell us that 2 trains ahead a freight train was having some problems and he didn’t know how much longer we would be. Ended up being 2 hours and we were finally on our way. I watched the next movie (8 Below) and then decided to get some sleep. The next morning I was woken up around 7 AM (Eastern time) because Dennis was getting off the train in Pittsburgh. A number of people had connecting trains that they were going to miss so Amtrak had got a bus in Pittsburgh to take them to DC faster than the train could.

The rest of the day I’ve spent sleeping, reading, and watching a movie. We’re long past Cumberland now the conductor came by a while ago saying that we were about 4 hours out of DC. That puts us in at 5 PM, 5 hours late. The tranquility and romance of Amtrak unfortunately can’t make up for it’s unreliability. Next time I suppose I’ll just get tickets sooner and fly. It’s really too bad, I’m really enjoying looking out the windows as the countryside goes by.

Today is that day that everyone dreads. Whether it’s because they don’t have someone to be with and they’re forced to watch all the couples and be reminded of it at every turn or because they don’t wish to handle the pressure that this day puts upon them. Now there is two other groups, the I-don’t-cares, and the I’m-fine-with-how-it-ises. The last two groups are so small that they’re statistically nonexistent however. Where do I fall? Somewhere between the last group and the pressure group. What can I say, I don’t like cliques. However you fall, Bah Humbug, Good Luck, Have a good day or Happy Valentines Day, whichever is appropriate.

This week there will be no picture of the week (or probably the next few of break) for two reasons.

a) I’m putting tons of pictures up because I’m on break and in a new place, so just keep checking in the previously linked album.

b) I’m going to rewrite my picture pages over break to do cool things like RSS (maybe) and use SQL. The POTW pages have been problematic because of the way they work, this new system I’m planning will make things easier.

Anyways, there will be plenty of pictures they just wont be in the Picture of the week section.

Despite not taking many pictures today (3 total) I have stuck them all up in a “Random Pictures” album in the folder I created for this break.

I went and got my desperately needed haircut today. It’d been about 6th months since my last one. I like my hair long but not anywhere near as long as it had become. Really I’m just lazy. Anyways, there is a before and after picture up. I’m pouting in the second half because my hair is gone :(. The second picture is just me taking my nap with my dog :).

Last night I arrived safely in the United Arab Emirates. Flights were pretty good, I slept through almost all of it. Unfortunately because of all of this sleep I wasn’t able to sleep at all when I arrived. I made it most of the day without a nap then I crashed about 1 and slept till 5. Not the best idea when you’re trying to adjust but it’s now almost 11 so I think I’ve made up for it… at least a little.

My brother showed me around a little today and I meant to take some pictures but didn’t really get to it. I’m going to start putting pictures up here though so keep checking back.

In other news I activated (with the help of Cantu, thanks again Kevin!) International roaming on my phone. It isn’t cheap, but also not terrible ($5/month + $.20/min to the states $.10/min local). It makes it so I can call local numbers though (like family cell phones) and make a couple important calls back home so I think it’s worth it. The alternative plan is $2.49/min in the UAE and no monthly charge, but that’s only worth it if you are in a low rate area (like Europe, UAE unfortunately is at the top of the price scale).

Check back frequently for updates from the Emirates!