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1 0 . 3 1 . 0 0 Its only Tuesday and I'm longing for the weekend--had a rough past couple of days in terms of lack of sleep, although I'm amazed at the amount of work I was able to accomplish. Finished my Forensics paper, my directed study presentation on Hawaii and Japan, and submitted my critique on Black Miss Ecuador 1995 for Afro-Am 443. I'm thinking that the big hump day will be Wed since my Soc class got cancelled on Thursday and I start at 4pm. Today is the real Halloween, but I don't think anyone will be partying. One thing about the students on this campus, we party hard on the weekend, but we all become a bunch of anti-social geeks during the week. Went to Angelics last night for a bit to do some roommate bonding, they had good pint prices a bit o the blonde, a bit o the bitter n pale. Got to dissect a sheep brain yesterday in Lab, it was pretty interesting how small it was, somehow I imagine sheep as having bigger cephalization factoring in total potential--I guess maybe thats why they're so meek. There was also this big rally for Pro-Choice, mixed with Nader and Gore supporters, an occasional Pro-Lifer or two in the crowd. I got a lot of literature on the topics at hand, especially on the upcoming election. I had thought about voting absentee, but I realize that Hawaii's long democratic standing from 1954 will cast the electoral votes Democratic, while Wisconsin still has yet to decide which way the vote will swing. So I guess I'll be voting in the State of Wisconsin as all we need is a proof of residence. Not sure about Nader or gore, but I do know one thing in mind, and its not "Dubya". 1 0 . 2 8 . 0 0 Halloween is here, and its another hot time in the mad towne tonight. well at least this weekend before anyway. Pretty crazy last night, as always, drunk ass college students by the 100s on state street in costume, fucking shit up. I was scrounging for a costume again this year, I ended up borrowing a Bill Clinton mask from the AASU office, complete with a blue blazer, funny tucked shirt, loose tie, some condoms hanging out of my pocket, a cigar, and a PLAYBOY mag. not bad for last minute I think. I was chasing some of my interns for most of the night. Mike and David went as Al Gore and Bush, and I sportted a Nader Pin. Went to the KASA function at Cafe Marmara down by the capitol, it was pretty good, more or less packed. The temps are going down.... Last night I went to a roundtable discussion on API sexuality for the paradox. it was pretty interesting, although we got off the sex topic temporarily and got off into lala land. maybe it was the good brew. I wonder how this issue will come out? new leadership, at least kinda, or maybe just different perspectives. After the KASA shindig I went to La Pastor, or something like that, a little Mexican resturant on Park St. with Doris and her MN crew. kind of interesting conversation, and lots of food. crashed out after that, belly full. So I'm staying in tonight, trying to catch up on some of the academic stuffs that I've been ignoring, hopefully get some laundry done too. I hope no mofos throw eggs at my window tonight. but in Madison you never know. 1 0 . 2 6 . 0 0 Paying for my fun this past weekend. getting hammered in a couple of papers, assignments, exams etc. ah....it was damn worth it. Thornton commented on my midterm as being resistant to the two underlining theories of the course. once again i find myself in protest of the course material. I do try to think out of the box a little too much. A true mark of a good professor: he can read through the bullshit and see when a student doesn't have passion in what he turns in. Can't fool Thornton. the thing is that I'm glad he nailed me, I'm always up for a challenge, and honestly I think this solidifies his level of intelligence in my mind. the only thing is that I'm not really in a mood to take on the subject and turn in an excellent paper, too much shit going on right now. Had a neuropsych test amid all of this, and I'll be honest I'm a little afraid of slipping this semester. have to get my shit together and focus on what matters. pardon my french but fuck APAC for now. I have to remind myself sometimes that a lot of this work with these minority organizations is maunawahi for me, I don't need any platform to air dirty laundry about my racial identity, let alone lash out at the world for what I think it owes me. Just regress back to the fundamentals, do the bare minimum first, get your shit together and go from there. peace 1 0 . 2 2 . 0 0 Got absolutely nothing academic done this weekend. had a blast though. headed out to Indianapolis on Friday in Lisa's Saturn, a trek of about 400 miles, I drove from Bloomington IL, to Indy. about 2 or 3 hours or so. I got used to passing those big ass trailer trucks and holding a speed above 70. Kinda like driving around the island about 30 times I suppose. The seminar itself was pretty intense, a lot of fun too. Had two Kumu Hulas there from home, Chinky Mahoe and Sonny Ching. There must've been at least 200 transplant locals, part locals, family, and converted haoles. All dancing. I learned a kahiko from Sonny Ching on the first day, i realized later that its the same one thats in the preview of the consolidated theater movies. Chinky's Kahiko was probably the hardest, and since we had to leave by noon today I didn't get a chance to learn more than one. Took notes though. Apparently there are hardly any men that come to this annual event in Indiana, so i was one of 6 that came this year. The best was the concert with Makaha Sons, with a smaller audience they could unwind and get pretty vulgar. Jerome was bashing every single performer and guest, halarious. Got a little vulgar too. Chinky danced this one song and he went in the audience, with all the ladies waving dollar bills. I guess he got married and his wife was there, so he was little hesitant at first. There was an actual program planned, with dancers from all over, Florida, Michigan, Milwaukee, Montreal, DC, had two Tahitian dances, one Samoan, one Kahiko, a couples too. Sonny and Lopaka came up to dance and they called us up to do an ad lib performance of Waikaloa, the song that we had just learned that afternoon. Aleina and Amber were literally pushing me out of my seat to go up, pretty unreal. I was actually pretty suprised how much I remembered from earlier, was fun. Afterwards people were hanging out, playing music and pounding until the early morning hours. I guess I got a little homesick, reminded me of the family gatherings playing music and singing. Played a lot of old Hawaiian songs, some of which I remember dances to, everyone was getting up and dancing, just having fun. This weekend itself also served as a sort of break from all the BS I've been dealing with at work. The whole seminar was full of people of all races, all backgrounds, all ages, and we all got along with a common interest cultural, or perspective, whatever. Something that I seem to forget from time to time. Sorry Thornton, I still think that some people take themselves way too seriously. 1 0 . 1 6 . 0 0 Fun weekend, eventful week. Cashed in on some midterms, exams, projects. Luckily My forensics got postponed to next week Wed, so I was able to catch up on some APAC work and hula practice. We learned the 'Hawaiian Rhumba' from aunty Aleina, pretty fast, but fun. Miss Hawai'i won the Miss America pageant. Funny how I was totally in the dark of the whole thing, not really keeping up with the TV, especialy with some other things in the news that seem to take priority. makes me remember when Carolyn Sapp won a while back, and she did the shaka sign that confused some southern christians because they thought it was either the longhorn sign, or the devil sign. Friday at the Orpheum they had a showing of a classic XXX porno flick starring Big Dick John Holmes, and the asian sexpot Suzy Wong. in 3-D. The line for the midnight showing went out around the block. thought it might be fun to bring a squeeze bottle of warm mayonaise inside, but I passed it up to drive up to Wanakee (1/2 way to bumblefuck, WI) with K in her new Acura Vigor. We ended up telling ghost stories--honestly I haven't heard too many scary stories besides the ones from Hawai'i until I heard some from Hmong culture. I think Glen Grant would appreciate them. Went to the White Horse and the Kid Saturday, had a chance to share a truly international conversation with Rei and her friend from London, who is Pakistani-Indian-English. It really amazing how interconnected, similar and different the world is, especially when the realizations are brought to light in a bar in midwest America. I'm going to Indiana next weekend to a hula seminar sponsered by Chinky Mahoe, according to Aleina, he's one of the hardest teachers because of his distinct style. It's a road trip with Amber, Lisa and Chris, I think I'm sleeping in the tub. It'll be fun I'm sure, as long as I don't remember what I did this summer for an internship. 1 0 . 9 . 0 0 1st bitch session of the year. Well, we'll see. maybe I won't go too much into it. I guess I'll just say that some people tend to take themselves way too seriously in terms of what they do with their spare time encompasing the larger perspective of the University, the City, the Country, and evidently Society, and the World. I guess its the product of a liberal atmosphere that surrounds the State University, sometime along the lines of conservative Political correctness, and confrontational activism. Never really did appeal to me that much, terms of action formation come to mind from the dozens of case studies and articles read. I come back to the fact in my mind that I can only be held accountable for what I do, and what I think. Likewise I myself am responsible for how I let the outside world perceive and judge me in terms of whether or not I internalize the bullshit. The thing is that I've come to the realization over the years that people don't want to suck it up and tough life out regardless of what kind of hardships or difficulties have been dealt to them. It is never your fault, never your problem, never your responsibility. And since you've been oppressed and discriminated all these years because of your skin color, race, socio-economic standing, sexual orientation, gender, you have every right to bitch and moan to the world. Everyone owes you. Especially those who don't think that respect is something given, rather something earned. This summer i had a chance of meeting a tough case worker in corrections that explains my current state of mind in a big embossed sign abover her desk in her office. (yes, she was a butch lesbian, and I love her) "No Whining" Seriously. shut the fuck up. 1 0 . 4 . 0 0 hi rei how are you? I'm teaching my friend Rei from the global village a quick lesson on webdesign Anyway, October is here, and its starting to cool down a bit in the Mad city. It might actually snow this weekend, maybe even tomorrow. My last winter for a while, maybe, I'm going to enjoy the experience to the fullest. makes me a little nostalgic of my first snow experience, time has really flown by. Can't believe I've been in Wisconsin for 4 years now. Had a Neuropsych midterm yesterday, kicked my butt in the sense that it was pretty difficult, but not impossible. I think I pulled a B at least, give or take some. Class today with Thornton was very interesting, I had to lead a discussion on the contradictions of power in colonial Mexico circa Spanish conquest and colonization. I brought into the concept of "Divide & Conquer" stemming from similar experiences and history of Hawaii. I think it developed a good base for discussion, I'm very impressed with the caliber of students of all backgrounds in this class. I think the professor is much to credit. Internal problems with APAC are in the process of being worked out now, a collective and proactive push is the ultimate goal, but experience has shown in past time and again that practicality is not always the governess over pure human emotions and pride. As always I have maintained faith in the competence and professionality of the people I work with, no matter how challenged. |