core qualities

What are your core qualities?

for me: enthusiam
determination
kindness
(i love women)


what are your challenges?


thoughtfulness
stubbornness
confrontation
focus

how about you?

On another subject, I move this week to my own space! I am so enthused about this. I just realized it has been like 5 months since I have been back. I had a great time in Europe as everyone knows and being back has just been about work and culture shock. The culture shock phase is long and gone and now after the recent success last week I have a moment to reflect. I am going to move into my own space again. And it is sweet!! I want to throw a party for the holidays, one to have the guys from work over and just party because we did a great job. And two because I want to just get back to Cleveland in style, in the village.

This town is so tough, the city that is. Funny thing tonight on the train I am riding and these kids about 19 or so were interested in my bike. They were asking all sorts of questions. Well finally he asked me where do I exit the train and I told him E 55th and that I live in the Harvard E 71st area and he responded, with "damn, you live in the da hood". I just smiled and said , "yeah, I live the hood."

Life here is different for sure, it is a struggle in every form. A struggle to live peacefully and healthy and happy. For sure, the struggle for me is just simply to live. It is a challenge though, my faith and principles are definitely put to the challenge. For me, it is easy to live in europe (Netherlands), things there just make sense, logically there. But in Cleveland in America something wild defying logic exists. The challenge to mold the open space the unsuspecting "consumers" , opportunity at every corner. All these qualities exist here. For me, in Europe all is taken care of, life just works and is fun for me. In America, especially Cleveland I have to constantly work, chip away every day at defining myself. I remember something, well not really, from philospophy about environment shaping the "you", well that I think is what I like most about Cleveland (america) for that matter. For me, i don't want to be shaped like my environment or a status quo or fit into a social demographic, even though I do to an extent. I still reject the social stigma and class behaviour that I see. One thing that still hangs on by a thread in the country is the concept, at least that anyway, that a person can defy social boundaries and be and define themselves as they see themselves, i am not a liberatarian, athough many people I know and respect are. That is exciting, actually. However, in my opinion because opportunity is all around and the basket is full of plenty, this full bushel has brought with it, complacency. This complacency brings with it all the standard negatives or backwards of human behaviour.

In the end my opinion doesn't matter for anything, but one thing that matters is that nothing as I can see is completed without the little things the consistant reminders of being alive everyday. "Home runs" are for the movie stars. If you want proof of that, just look at raising a child. A child isn't "learned" goodwill to others by the few times to the fun park or the fun dvd material items in the back of the rendevous, it is through consistancy and dedicated care and love that creates what becomes a well rounded adult.

Anyway, I need to get back to work. ( just remember, I am an only child, and that should explain it alll...........)

work related

over the last few weeks this has been the focus to get these to meet a specific deadline.
This is an MRI image of a human torso.

luggage rack...

So... I am into this commuting thing now. I got the car back and it is cool to have the option and choose freely between them both. Very sweet. This week my buddy Rick and I commuted by public transport and since it was a great looking morning decided to exit the bus 3 miles before our stop at work. As the bus drove off I looked at Rick and my life flashed before my eyes, I lost all the music in my iPod, my bag and helmet was on the bus!!!! Rick just says, "you better go!!!" So I start sprinting on the pony, the folding single speed bike. As I raced down the sidewalk on the bike I weaved in and out of cracks in the sidewalk and the traffic at the crosswalks. I eventually made it to the next main road ~4 miles away. No bus yet.

I then look and here it comes turning onto the street I am on now. I throw the bike down, look to traffic and jump out in front of the bus. I did. The bus stops and the driver says, "what is wrong with your bike?" I say, "i left my bag on the bus" .

I grab the bag and helmet from the luggage rack and say thank you and kiss the driver ( a woman) on the cheek.
So, lesson don't put you bag on the luggage rack on the nice new bus because the bus you usually ride is old and has no luggage rack. I amaze myself....
It was a great work out though.

The coil almost works too.... more details next week.

one more for the 11th of the 11...

In preparation for carnival.. 2007, show some footage of carnival 2006.



Tradition in the south of Netherlands is that 3 months prior to carnival the organization begins for the floats and the costumes for the upcoming Carnival. Last year we went to Maastricht, and this is shot in the train station as people are waiting for the last train north. Maastricht is in the south of Netherlands, the furthest main city south.

reflections

Ok... so I am going back a bit here, but I think this is an enjoyable memory, not focusing on the glass half empty, so I am going to post this.

stick in the mud

Don't be a:













Get out and vote!

My first class is completed except for the exam! That is all I got going on....