Oops
RadioLab Podcast 06/29/10 - "Oops"
Back in Australia
A few weeks in Australia and it's nice to be back, visiting the country I call my second home. Things have changed, circumstances have changed and a few faces have changed but some are familiar and have been happy to find the new ones and get to know more about them as well. It is however, winter here. That's left a little something to be desired still.The weirdest thing about being in Australia though is that it's not weird to be in Australia. I have traveled so much and my home base is now non existent really, so traveling feels a little less removed from reality and more of the permanent status quo.
I don't want to always be a world traveler, always moving on to that next place. The last few months however, I have really needed it. It's helped get my head and my heart back in the right place. To remember what is important, to leave behind what isn't and to see the world in a way that makes sense again. I am thankful to have the opportunity to do so. I am also thankful for the friends and family who are there when you need them and the people that include, rather than exclude. Life is too short, ya know?
So, that being said, looks like Sydney is in the cards for early next week and I will be happy to see the place I called home for a time again. It's been over six and a half years since I have been there. It will be good to go back for a quick visit. I plan on seeing a lot and taking a lot of new photos.
Why we can't have nice things
Pour trouver un chemin
After a rough start of my plane being delayed in Oklahoma City due to weather and a long layover in the Detroit airport, followed by a long rough flight to Paris, I managed to not let any stress get the better part of me once I arrived. It used to a lot, but I quickly found my luggage, got some cash out of the ATM, located the info to the bus I needed to catch and eventually found myself feeling a bit relaxed on a bus ride into city center. I was pleased to see my iPhone was working here and glad I prepaid for the 20MB of data usage while traveling. Otherwise it would cost a fortune to use and the GPS map will probably be a good friend over the next week.
Roisseybus to the Paris Opéra took about an hour but the views were nice and the sun was shining down very brightly in the window, it felt good and made me smile. I saw the Basilique du Sacré Coeur in the distance and drove right past Le Moulin Rouge, both reminded me of my last visit to Paris and I kept thinking how much has changed since then. When I got to the Opera, I got off the bus and met up with my friend Donna who was kind enough to take off from work to wait for me at the stop. We got on another bus to head to Rue de Bac. Donna gave me a tour of the apartment and let me put my things in my room, showed me around the neighborhood, then went back to work. I went back up stairs, butchered the French language to a person sharing the elevator with me, went to my room, unpacked a few things, then literally passed right out. It was close to 4 pm Paris time.
I woke up a little after midnight and started putting things away, charging batteries and organizing my stuff for the week. I should be trying to force myself to sleep some more, otherwise it will hurt tonight, but I am wide awake and its now 6:40 am. I think I may shower, grab my camera and go see what Paris looks like at sunrise in a few hours.
And so it goes...
And there is the account of the hanging of three men, and a scuba diver, and a suicide. There are stories of coincidence and chance, of intersections and strange things told, and which is which and who only knows? And we generally say, "Well, if that was in a movie, I wouldn't believe it." Someone's so-and-so met someone else's so-and-so and so on. And it is in the humble opinion of this narrator that strange things happen all the time. And so it goes, and so it goes. And the book says, "We may be through with the past, but the past ain't through with us."
- Narrator, Magnolia (1999)
You Are Who You Choose To Be
One of my favorite movies of all time is an animated piece by Brad Bird (The Simpsons, The Incredibles) called The Iron Giant (1999). It was an insanely great story about a kid growing up in Rockwell, Maine during the height of the Cold War in the late 50's who befriends a crashed giant robot who fell to earth. The robot has a dent in his head and seems to suffer from amnesia. After a time together, the kid teaches the robot about things like life and death and morality with the aid of comic books featuring Superman and a villainous robot named Atomo.
Towards the end of the movie, it becomes apparent that the robot had a war like nature built to him as his dent is popped out, he thinks his new friend Hogarth is dead, and the US Army is attacking him. He goes into a furry of what we assume is his original mission, to attack and destroy with lasers and death rays that look deeply inspired by the aliens in War of the Worlds. Hogarth, still alive, stands in front of the giant's arm (now a giant gun) and tells him he doesn't have to do this; "wait, stop! It's bad to kill, guns kill, and you don't have to be a gun, you are what you choose to be... you choose... .choose.." The giant snaps out of his attack mode, puts the guns away and realizes his situation.
In the end, the giant gives his life to save the people of the town and stop their imminent destruction. Remembering the words Hogarth taught him, he makes his choice to be like Superman and do the right thing. As he approaches the falling missile headed for the town, he closes his eyes and smiles before the explosion is seen in the sky from Hogarth and the townspeople.
The movie is about change and choosing your path, despite your original programming. We don't have to be the victims of our past, we have a choice.
I choose Superman.
About Last Night
Last night was my birthday and it went by a lot more fun than I thought it would. After debating over if I was going to go out or stay in, I decided to go out and not spend the evening alone. Surprisingly, it was fairly easy to grab a bunch of people for last minute plans and go on a pub crawl in the west village. It was a great mix of people that made the evening go well and I got to meet someone upcoming famous (Upcoming Macy's day Parade, singing with Kermit).
From Tavern on Jane, to an underground bar called Von, to bit of fun dive called Swift Hibernian Lounge, and some random last stop with a near scuffle with other drunks before heading home, it was a good night all around.
The well wishes online from so many and the camaraderie of the group last night lifted my spirits enormously.
Thanks friends.
How to Care for your Unemployed Friend
Being without a full time job with benefits can suck, especially when the whole country is facing a time of high unemployment rate. First no one is hiring, then a few people are hiring but the few positions available are being fought over with a great zeal of competitiveness. It can be frustrating and discouraging at times and even with the best of intentions, there are a few things that are probably best avoided to talking about with your unemployed friend.1. If the friend shared with you an exciting interview coming up, that means they wanted you to know that they had some high hopes this would go well. After the interview happens, you may want to show this friend that you are thinking about them by asking about how the interview went. If the interview went well and is leading to another interview, you are probably going to be the first to hear back about it. If you hear nothing and then ask, it could be like picking a scab off an emotional wound. No word back can feel like a rejection and to stay positive, you have to focus on the next interview.
2. Don't keep asking how your unemployed friend how they are doing. Although you have the best of intentions, this makes them feel like a leper when they have to keep saying "hanging in there." and forcing a smile when they may in fact, and probably are, a bit worried and scared. Talking about it doesn't always help, in fact sometimes, it can let some of the depression of not having found that awesome job yet overwhelm them when they were doing a pretty good job before on focusing on the positive.
3. Be open to if they want to vent. Let them lead the "I need to talk" conversation, don't force it on them. Even those who are reserved in sharing their emotion sometimes take refuge in quiet self introspection.
4. Buy them a beer and/or a meal occasionally. This does wonders when you find yourself accounting for every dollar a bit more closely, a beer or a meal out becomes more of a luxury. It's nice to feel human again and get out for a bit to forget about the issues that worry you.
5. Know that your concern is appreciated, even if they seem to be a bit reserved in wanting to communicate sometimes.
* This guide may differ from vagrant to vagrant. Please consult with a professional if these steps do not achieve the appropriate positive response.
The Lion Sleeps Tonight
A few years ago I took a road trip through the American West. I spent a day in San Francisco and took a few hours to relax in Union Square. A pollster came up to me and made some chat and asked me who my personal hero was as part of her polling question. I had to think about it for a bit and came up with John F. Kennedy. When she asked why I chose him, I said it was because he was our last idealist President. That idealism actually branched out to his brothers, and this country owes that family a great deal of gratitude for it.
The peace Corps, Immigration rights, Civil rights, Health care, Labor rights, and Space exploration, are just a few ways in which this country benefited from this family's calling.
Ted Kennedy was the only brother out of four that died a non violent death for this country. He served in the Senate since 1962 and was known as a Democratic leader who could reach across party lines to get things done. As the rest of his family, he served his country in service and in politics, was raised in privilege but championed the average American in government.
Senator Edward Moore "Ted" Kennedy (February 22, 1932 August 25, 2009)
Fight the Good Fight
Yesterday, my son left back for Oklahoma. He was here for over a month in New York City. The trip to the airport was a bit depressing but I kept us talking and concerned with our path to the airport so for the most part, it was an everyday event until we were sitting at his gate, waiting for him to board. I was trying to be okay but it was just killing me to see that kid get on a plane to go away from me and for who knows how long 'till I see him again. In this economy, I haven't been able to get back every couple of months like I used to. This last gap of time was equal to the amount of time I went without seeing him in Australia. Today, I started a new contract job that will last a few weeks and I think both sides are still looking to see how the fit goes. I like the people there and the the walk is pretty nice so I hope it does work out. But today, my first day to work there, there was an 89% humidity which caused me to show up drenched with sweat. During the first meeting my eye did the allergy blood fill thing, and on the way home, it poured down rain down on me. Despite the cool rainstorm view from the 44th floor in a lower Manhattan office and a cool thunderstorm today, I'm so sick of the rain. Yesterday and today I have felt like a truck ran over me, probably from the emotions I have been dealing with.
I have dealt with a lot of emotions and life altering events over the past year, one after another, after another. I have done all this with a smile on my face and a positive attitude while some days screaming a bit inside. But for one month, one really good month, I had my son here to remind me what is really important and make everything else seem a bit less significant. This awesome kid who means more to me than anything, sit next to me, and be that piece of hope I so urgently needed. It was exactly what I needed. And just like that, he was now gone as well. It really hurt. He knows that he is a source of strength for me, I kinda like that he knows that.
I will be fine, I always land on my feet, sometimes you just need some time and a big change to come along. I'm ready for the change.
