The World According to Larkin

Am I Ever Going To Update?

2011-11-10T16:02:00.001-05:00

There has been a constant struggle trying to maintain a blog in this day and age.....we'll see what develops. I feel like I have so much to update and not enough time to write it all down. That's really BS when you think about it, given how much access I have to a computer or the internet or anything mobile....Random ramblings will continue eventually.

The Phoenix Rises

2011-08-24T22:44:00.002-04:00

Trying to re-vamp my blogging world and attempt to write more paragraphs than a few one liners here and there since the old way of posting my thoughts and happenings, though time consuming, still means more to me in my attempts to navigate the world.

I want to have an actual home page that merges all my blogs and words and videos and life happenings so that is in the developments.

I guess the fall always brings out the change in me.

What Oprah Has Taught Me (Besides Annoying People Doing Oprah Voice)

2011-05-25T12:08:00.001-04:00

I've never been one for goodbyes. I truly believe that paths will cross again or that if you really are memorable to someone in a positive way, your presence and spirit will stay alive in the other person and the impact that you've had on them will be everlasting - a true tribute to what you have meant to them and their life.

That is what the final show of Oprah will mean to me. It's like a friend moving away – you can prepare for that goodbye and wait for the actual day to eventually come around, but when that moment of realizing “okay, this is it – something will change now” and they fade away into the sunset and you are left with the “what now” feeling.

For many Oprah fans, that is what is occurring in our lives, bracing for the moment when we realize that the next time we turn on the TV at 4pm and want new Oprah episodes, the reality will set in on us that there will not be any new episodes. No more familiar wisdom and guidance we were accustomed to will grace our day to day lives. For the past 25 years, we've been enjoying this ride of life and human emotions – creating memories, connecting with what Mamma O has meant each episode and being taught important lessons to further better us.

I don't recall the moment of how I became an Oprah fan. Growing up, she was always on TV and you would always hear about her or what was on her show for that day. I think in recent years, my college/post college life, Oprah became a major part of my adult life as I was left with the whole question of “what am I doing with myself” thoughts while trying to navigate my post college years living in Los Angeles. Like most people, I've always connected and loved her human interest stories – which is what the core of the show really is about; the universal connection to one another and the need to hear their stories and find out how someone that we have never met can somehow matter in the world and our existence.

Oprah has taught me that every person has a story to be told. That pain is universal no matter who you are. Her show has helped shown that people deep down are good at heart and have the ability to change their circumstances; to take control of their lives for the better. I have to admit, I have been a victim of hearing a story I've seen that was inspiration and then feeling bad, wishing I could do something about it but then resuming my normal life while I get a bit jealous that someone else has had the initiative to have actually gone out and done the things that I wish I could have done. But deep down, a spark inside of me that found myself connecting to the people, the stories, the great humanity that is a common threat uniting us all throughout the world.

I've discovered a lot about myself. My yearning to understand those around me, seeking out stories and listening to those in need. I've learned to be a better friend. The joy of giving and surprising and seeing others' reactions when they least expect it. I've learned that life isn't so bad when others who have it much worse have been able to pick themselves up off the floor and get back to rebuilding their life. I've learned to try to be a better person – to try to see the other side of the story, a better human in having compassion for others. I've laughed at her surprise moments, been in awe of the kindness of strangers, and even found the acceptance of being true to myself after seeing Ellen come out on her show and knowing that I was not alone in the world. Oprah has been a great teacher to followers, an inspiration, and one who puts her money where her mouth is (and probably may be a reason why I've learned to love Celine Dion so much).

The most important lesson is that I'm constantly asking myself and challenging myself to “be more”. To find the inner peace within myself so that I can project it out to the world and make my life and community around me align with positivity. You hear it all the time and it seems like such a common knowledge everyday occurrance in life, but sometimes we need a little reminder and Oprah had that power. From watching her Christmas Kindness Episode in South Africa, I told myself that my first trip to Africa would have been some type of volunteer program where my experience would be more about myself. I was able to do that January 2010 when I went to Ghana to volunteer in a village. Playing with the orphans for a month and being able to bring smiles to those villagers I had just met truly was an life changing experience. I felt that I was beginign to fulfill my own personal destiny and finding my own voice in the ability to want to “be more”. It was giving back in a way that made that feeling never wanting to stop.

The spirit of Oprah is a lot like Christmas. It's magical and it is all about how much you let yourself open to believe in the power of generosity and kidness. You get a sense of pride and this high of wanting to make people smile, to share with others what you have learned, and most importantly, the power of knowing that because you yourself have the desire to do something and that it is all within you and you alone, that is the ultimate “a-ha” moment of life.

I will never have billions of dollars (I mean, let's be real), or my own tv show, or even (at the moment) a platform for me to truly do what I want if I were given the opportunity (which is why I would only want the billions of dollars to do so) But for now, what I have and what my available resources are at this moment of life can help me do what I want to. My goals is to volunteer more, with plans later in life to really do extraordinary things on a global scale. To be more active in my community and to those around me – finding solutions to problems, being pro-active and always live with the spirit of giving. To smile more. To laugh. To learn the power of forgiveness. To read more. To be inspired. To find peace in spirituality and nature. To take care of myself. To offer advice and to list. To value education and the power of nourshing the mind. And above all, to live life to the fullest. Oprah believes that everyone has always had the power within themselves to do whatever they wish. I believe that too. But more importantly, I have learn to live that mantra and to always believe that my own life was destined for greatness in its own way

Thank you Oprah for being someone who let me know it was okay to be myself. Who helped me want to be more and do more in my life and be a person who continues trying to find ways to be a light and inspiration and to be grateful on a daily basis what I have in my life. That is the power of Oprah. That is the legacy and impact one person can have. Every great teacher, after providing all the necessary tools and resources that they can share, must now allow themselves to step aside and let their students enter the world with their new found knowledge.

Anything is possible.

Mission Accomplished?

2011-05-02T20:50:00.002-04:00

‎"I mourn the loss of thousands of precious lives, but I will not rejoice in the death of one, not even an enemy. Returning hate for hate multiplies hate, adding deeper darkness to a night already devoid of stars. Darkness cannot drive out darkness: only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate: only love can do that." -- Martin Luther King, Jr.

I've never wished a man dead, but I have read some obituaries with great pleasure. ~ Mark Twain

Updates : Part II

2011-03-27T21:49:00.000-04:00

It's been a while, and I apologize for my lack of writing. Part of it has been laziness, hopefully relying that my 140 character tweets could sum up the usual paragraphs of Larkin ramblings that would spurt from my mouth. Some parts were the fact that I had so much to catch up on, no matter where I started, I wasn't able to finish or condense the subject into a blurb to fit everything else that was on backorder.

So I'll try to write more. I need to get myself back in a creative outlet, as well as just practice writing more and share with the world my life, my thoughts, and other cool daily happenings

NEW AND IMPROVED?

2011-01-21T14:40:00.001-05:00

I promise....I promise loyal fans....new stuff and updates and regular ramblings for the new year.

Bear with me as I try to get back into creative mode, while balancing my life and other duties as a socialite.

October Updates - Where in the World is Larkin?

2010-10-29T05:40:00.004-04:00

I have not updated in forever - I apologize. The world of blogging has been a pushed aside as I try to balance my real life and virtual life (facebooking/tweeting/and just smaller anecdotes of my life seem to be easier than writing blog posts)....I don't know if it is a switch of attention span or just ease and convenience or just simply being too lazy to write an actual post but I will try to go back to my normal routine. I know I have loyal followers (and stalkers)....

This month we play where in the world is Topher Larkin. I was in NYC earlier this month for a work fundraiser and was able to spend some free time beforehand catching up with my NYC friends and people I have not seen in a while. Saw some broadway shows of course, ate great food, and just enjoyed myself wandering the city posing as a New Yorker.

Currently I am on a world tour with my boss - circling the globe having started in FL to London to Hong Kong (my current location until I leave for India in a few hours), Mumbai, Toronto, and then Switzerland!....yes it is a world tour....

I am in no way complaining...I enjoy the world traveling and excitement of being in a new place/country/meeting people.....however my body and internal clock will hate me more than it has in the past, as time zones vs napping has been a bitch to navigate.

The end of October....which means November is here...which is Christmas...my birthday...the new year and 2011....My how things have seemed to fly by in a matter of a year.

Happy Birthday Vanessa!

2010-09-15T22:11:00.000-04:00

A birthday message to my best friend Vanessa:

Taio Cruz - Dynamite

2010-09-13T18:03:00.000-04:00

This song is off the hook!

Sam Tsui and Hugo Schneider hit one out of the ball park again!

2010-09-13T17:37:00.003-04:00

Sam Tsui and Hugo Schneider hit one out of the ball park again!

September updates

2010-09-13T11:16:00.003-04:00

I have not posted in a while....sometimes I want to write a lot and then when it comes time to blogging I want to write something short and simple. For example I had a whole entry about my LA trip and how it was a surreal experience being back yet not fully being back and catching up with friends knowing that things could never be the way that it once was and that was just how things are changing in our world...how people are moving on and we're evolving into something else...

Though as autumn approaches, my loyal fans know that this is my favourite time of the year....i feel the world shifts and starts to change right at this time and I love the feeling in the air.

I'm Not Getting Married Today

2010-08-07T12:12:00.003-04:00

My good friends from college Nick and Emily are getting married today. In Malibu area....which now completes the 4th wedding I have attended of actual close friends and a 5th one next summer on the Cape.

STOP GETTING MARRIED BECAUSE IT MAKES ME FEEL OLD!!

Just kidding.

I'm happy for all my friends who have settled down in life and made the transition to the "adult" side of the stage in life that we are all eventually starting to become.

My two other best friends are in nice steady relationships....and that leaves me to be the token single friend who seems to have it all and not be tied down? (Sure, I'll take that role with a few modifications).

But today, we celebrate love and life!

Cheers

Legalize Gay

2010-08-04T18:01:00.001-04:00

"Proposition 8 fails to advance any rational basis in singling out gay men and lesbians for denial of a marriage license. Indeed, the evidence shows Proposition 8 does nothing more than enshrine in the California Constitution the notion that opposite-sex couples are superior to same-sex couples"

Back in Los Angeles

2010-08-04T01:10:00.003-04:00

My lack of updating has been bad. I know I have loyal fans and I know I need to use this as my creative outlook and I keep saying many changes are coming in store.

It's August! Summer is almost over and autumn is around the corner (my favourite season of course). I'm current back in Los Angeles for the week for my friends Nick and Emily's wedding on Sunday. Should be a fun time and I get to see old familiar faces and re-visit my stomping grounds as a tourist and not a resident.

Plane ride was long of course. Weather is cold actually. Time difference makes me actually tired at a recent hour. Looking forward to going for a run around the neighborhood.

I got new glasses :

Going for that whole intellectual geeky chic vibe to match my new FL wardrobe.

Sleep settling in . More updates later.

over and out...

-Larkin

Mellow Music Cures the Soul

2010-07-15T22:11:00.003-04:00

I feel like I'm 16 again (or 21...or 24....) but I have, like, the biggest crush right now and I'm completely blown away by how much this is affecting me....well, the ability to relax and think while it rains outside doesn't help...or the fact that I'm listening to my usual "Topher's Mellow Mix Music" to set the mood.... (listening to The Rainbow Connection, Jason Mraz, and Patrick Park for those keeping score at home)

I'll get over it. I have to because the situation clearly won't be able to resolve itself unless I push it aside in typical Larkin fashion.

Sigh....

Okay

and......

breathe.

Ramblings from the Mind

2010-07-15T03:51:00.002-04:00

It's early morning....or late night, depending on your view if one has not quite gone to bed yet. It's lonely in my brand new apartment that I still have not yet settled into. A different kind of "lonely" though, as if there is a need for it to be filled with friends and visitors and loved ones of all types. I've created such a great space that I now need it to be filled in order to show it off and enjoy. I'm beginning to learn that my need to be social and my socializing skills are coming into play at tremendous speed and ease and I've been embracing my new found role of "that guy".

In a matter of two weeks I've managed to find an apartment and furnish it to the basic needs (bed, complete living room and dining room) and now I just have to wait to fill it up with the side trinkets and filler decoration. I had a house warming party - invited the core group of my new Tampa friends and embarked upon South Tampa society in true Larkin fashion. A mixture of old friends and new helped fill my house with positive vibes and fun and excitement - so much excitement that we all decided to ditch the house warming after it got late and head out for food and drinks elsewhere....my own entourage of friends if you will.

4th of July came and went. It was a rainy one yet we still managed to have our BBQ party and celebrate festivities to the best of our abilities. And then I left for Europe (Gdansk, Poland to be exact) for Wikimania 2010 for work, which can be summed up as a great experience both professionally and personally. The ability to meet so many people from all over who possess some of the most brilliant minds and speak in languages (literally AND technology wise) blew me away.

And of course being back in Europe helped fulfill my need to be somewhere else and make it feel as if I was truly transported to another place. Gdansk possessed the old world charm (still remnants of bombed out buildings and the cookie cutter houses side by side). There was music in the streets, vendors and tourist mingling about in the town square, and there was me - wide eyed American but once European trying to capture the feel of the moment. The city was by a seaport and apparently there was a marina festival that weekend which helped add to the charm and of course, any of my loyal fans know that I am mesmerized by anything that has to do with the water or boats, etc.

But I think the best part of it all was the bonding. I felt like I was at camp and I was making new friends with people and at the end of the session, the last night where we all say goodbye, in that moment I realized that it was all over and we'd all go back to our somewhat normal lives and usual routine and that some people I won't see again for a while (co-worker/associates included)....I love the ability to connect and to share experiences and to have the random adventures of staying up till 3am to watch the sunrise or wander from bar to bar and do as the Europeans do....

There was excitement and magic. The energy of all being together and learning and sharing a common goal - the feeling of being part of a community!

I'll remember those moments of course - the small subtle adventures of strolling down the canal, taking shots of Goldwasser instead of sipping, my flip flops of 10 years suddenly breaking at 2am and wandering barefoot down the cobblestone streets, watching the final world cup game in a suite overlooking the town square, being consumed with appreciation of my life in that moment to be like "wow, look at what I am doing / look at what I am accomplishing"....

If ever anyone needed some luck right now, I will be so bold as to suggest that they touch me so that my fortune can rub off on others too - I want to share my life and my stories and adventures with the whole world right now...I feel energized and a sense of worldly connection and it's the most weird and unusual feeling.

It's like having a crush on someone and feeling so helpless knowing that you can't do much but admire from afar (a familiar feeling in my life though) as I try to pinpoint down exactly what these moments mean to me.

The world is telling me something.....I feel like I am now settled away from the chaos that once was....

I feel...

Infinite.

Update Soon!

2010-07-14T16:10:00.000-04:00

Sorry loyal fans - been extremely busy but I will update you all my thoughts in the upcoming hours!

A Day At The Office

2010-07-01T16:39:00.003-04:00

If I worked around other employees, this would totally be something I'd do with my fellow co-workers:

Calvin the Cat

2010-06-25T00:09:00.002-04:00

Since my brother ran over the cat a few weeks ago, Calvin (whose sister Hobbes tragically died by the wheels of my father when was in 6th grade), has been slumming around the house as we attempt to nurse her back to health.

She was given a cast by the vet, to be worn for the next 2 months. The first few days she was miserable, laying like an invalid and us having to nurse her. My mom, before leaving for Europe and Africa, left specific instructions to make sure we gave her attention or else the cat would go into depression and loose her will to live. Though in a t shrue fighter form, she is now able to get around on her own (though, as any cat would, manages to play the sympathy card quite well).

The cutest thing (but in a sad way) is how she thumps around the house and her cast makes a huge clunking noise. She reminds me of a pirate. And now she's climbing up the stairs like that, hobbling with all her might!

Community: Best Episode Ever

2010-06-20T17:36:00.001-04:00

I've been catching up on Hulu and I think this is one of the best episodes I've seen (even production value wise)

Plus, Hello Joel McHale.....

Update soon! Under Construction

2010-06-20T14:24:00.002-04:00

Hi loyal fans,

Major updates coming soon! I apologize for the lack of. I'm debating switching to wordpress because it may be easier to handle and I can make it more interactive but also planning to do some cool video blogs as well.

Life has been busy but fun. I LOVE LOVE LOVE my job, I love my new and old friends here in Tampa, now I need to find my own place so I can truly feel as if I am on my own and independent. Baby steps, yes, but for the love of God, please let me have som distance between my family.

I need to join a gym. Not because of me being fat (I joke about that) but i just need a stable routine in addition to my running, and a place mentally escape for an hour in a workout mode.

Music of the moment: New Miley Cyrus, Bruno Mars, Mike Posner.

Need to sit in the sun and tan.

Shopping is a must.

Poland in two weeks!!!!

I Got It At Ver-Sayce

2010-05-19T00:48:00.002-04:00

Props to anyone who gets the reference quote from above.

Summer 2010! I decided to do a little shopping spree to update my wardrobe and prepare to head back to fashionable California for a few days as I attend some work meetings and hit the bars with my friends Mark and Wing and company. The tshirt and jeans and flip flops of Tampa have been fun, but sometimes a fashionista needs to have a change of scenery and attire.

I took my mom along for my shopping spree, with the intentions that she now :

a.) understands my style and the price of clothing these days
b) knows never to buy me anything unless i approve it
c) to have a fun little bonding day with mom at the mall (which we have never really done).

I was suppose to Skype with my friend V to show her my new purchases and catch up on gossip but or date was postponed, so i figured I would have fun and create a little fashion montage. Enjoy ;

GLAMOUR 4 GHANA: How Local Tampa Bay Residents Can Help!

2010-05-11T11:29:00.003-04:00

SAVE THE DATE!!!! FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

CALLING ALL TAMPA FRIENDS AND THOSE WITH FAMILY MEMBERS IN TAMPA:

Some of you many have known that I was doing educational volunteer research in Ghana at the beginning of the year for a non profit organization that was building a school for local street orphans and children affected by HIV.

My experience with the organization led me in wanting to find ways how our local communities can help those abroad.

*** You can read my Africa adventure on my blog at: Topher's African Blog Adventure *****

So the Larkin family is partnering with a local South Tampa Salon to help raise money to finish the school and provide future education for all and I wanted to spread the word for all my Tampa friends to participate!

Salon Alvarez will graciously be opening their doors on Sunday May 30th from noon - 4pm offering donation based services for your stylish needs!

Remember, all services listed will be strictly donation based and EVERY DONATION that you provide will go directly towards te school in Ghana. Although my original plan was to back in June to help continue the research and visit the orphans, my mother will be going in July to help train the new teachers of the Free School and will be able to tell the students and community that YOUR specific donations have helped make their education possible.

How can you help?
Swing my Salon Alvarez at the corner of Dale Mabry and Neptune in South Tampa on May 30th from Noon - 4pm. No appointment necessary and there will be free food and prizes available.

Even if you don't plan on getting your hair cut, please feel free to swing by and donate to a good cause (and come visit me!)

TELL YOUR FAMILY AND FRIENDS WHO ARE IN THE TAMPA AREA!

The important thing is that you know your money is going towards a great organization that will provide children the basic necessity of a free education.

For more info please email me at
topher.larkin@gmail.com or call 818-648-5721

Salon Alvarez
1515 S Dale Mabry Hwy #101
(Corner of Dale Mabry and Neptune)

You got new legs, Lt. Dan

2010-05-07T13:01:00.003-04:00

Okay, so I didn't get new legs because I'm not handicapped, but I did get a new hair style to give an edgier and slicker look.

Enjoy

Everything's Coming up Larkin

2010-04-30T01:04:00.000-04:00

Wow, end of April already.

After I guess two months (seems like longer), things are progressing smoothly. I now have 3 jobs technically when a week ago I was only on my part time. I started the Census gig this week and it has been fun learning how things work and I feel like I'm doing my civic duty as an American by participating in the process. I also found out earlier of the job I was really hoping to get which is now my official full time gig. Very excited because I think it will challenge me in a new way and you know me, always looking for a challenge and a new adventure.

My best friend Chris from high school has officially moved back into town as well - so it has been nice having familiar faces and old friends to hang out with. We grabbed some ice cream Monday and drove off to Davis Island to honestly just hang out, like the old days, which I know there has been 10 years later but it all felt the same as if we were the innocent high schoolers about to embark on to college for the summer. And 10 years later we are back where we started- a little older and a little more wiser. It's nice to have him around as I slowly re-build my network of friends.

Monday I also was scoping out some more houses, finding two. One would be a nice little project and the other is a complete fixer-upper but would be an extravagant and ideal place to live (in my dreams - but still a bargain).

The world seems right for some reason, and for once I am not waiting for any catastrophe to occur...been putting a lot of positive vibes out there and it feels good to have the world just been at peace for once.

Chris, Nikki (another old friend from the past) and I went running along Bayshore, which right at sunset has become one of my perfect little end of the day relief in the past two days. Ran almost 4 miles and more importantly, non stop too. I like this active me. It's replaced the gym which I usually almost went to every day and once I finally get a steady income I would be able to enjoy the gym benefits.

Friday is now here and for once I feel like I had an active real working week and can enjoy the fact that it is Friday and not simply just another day of the week.

Life is great!

My friend Sioux Oliva's article about Donor DNA

2010-04-22T12:45:00.003-04:00

My friend, Dr. Sioux Oliva recently wrote this article about DNA and 3rd party reproduction so I wanted to share it with my viewers:

DNA testing is changing the way we understand family on our planet—including in the world of assisted reproduction. DNA tests are now routinely done for maternal, paternal and geographic origins, inheritable disease markers (carrier status test), genetic risks (disease risk test), and to learn in advance what medications are best for you (drug response test). More DNA data is being shared on the Internet and companies offering these services are growing exponentially: we have reached the tipping point. It is now easy for donor children to get on the Internet and look for DNA matches. Donor children did not sign any anonymity agreements with anyone and are free to look for and contact a donor if so inclined. This presents a new opportunity for AFA members to discuss how the end of donor anonymity can shift the current playing field from secrecy and shame to one of openness and new understanding.

One way or the other many donors will be “outed” as DNA testing continues past the tipping point. What can we do to ensure the greatest good for these created families? The first would be to bring this discussion out into the open so parents: 1) can deal with why they feel the need to be secretive; and 2) can make a plan to be honest with their children about their biological origins. In a few years the cost of DNA testing will be low enough that it will become part of any medical history. Donor children will easily be able to discover that their genealogy is different from the parents who raised them. This brings us to the two sides of this issue regarding donor DNA: the hard science and the social science aspects for donor families. The hard science: with DNA testing becoming commonplace, donors will not remain anonymous forever. A donor child can go online now and look for half siblings by placing their DNA markers on any number of websites to search for their relatives and this trend will only continue to grow.

The other issue is the social science aspect where we to help families build an honest family history for their child that accurately represents their biological and social background. This story is essential for both parents and children. Studies and experience have demonstrated that donor children feel anger, betrayal, and distrust towards their parents when they find out as young adults that their parents were not honest with them about their biological origins.

A friend who recently became pregnant with her first child at 42 using an egg and sperm donor decided to keep it a secret from her child, family and friends. The only reason I knew of her situation is because I had experience in assisted reproduction and she came to me for guidance. We met and talked about her experience with her doctor and therapist. Her doctor never mentioned how DNA testing could bring her secret out into the open, nor did her therapist mention that children do feel betrayed and angry at not being told the truth about their biology. This lack of vital information from professionals is a disservice to her and her family. We need to guide our clients to the best possible scenario. Ignoring the fact that donor anonymity will be history well before her child is 18, and how betrayed her child will feel if this is kept from her/him is not in anyone’s best interest.

Not every child will want to find their donor, or will find the donor they seek, nor will all donors be discovered through searching. However the need for donor children to discover their biological origins will not cease. Our acceptance of these facts: 1) donor children will seek to find out their biology; 2) that donors will not be able to remain anonymous as the tide continues to shift; puts the responsibility on us to move the parents out of their shame and into embracing and sharing the fact that science made it possible for them to have the children they love so much. We can act to create an easy transition for them now instead of setting them up for a future with difficult truths emerging.

Sioux Oliva earned her Ph.D. in History from the University of Southern California. She is an historian in private practice doing family and estate history and history project management through her company, Legacy History. Sioux clients’ include Mrs. Robert F. Kennedy, the estate of Marilyn Monroe, Sally Quinn and Ben Bradlee, The Getty, The City of Los Angeles, and The Autry Museum of the American West. In 2005-2006, she worked for Growing Generations, which gave her experience in the world of assisted reproduction. DNA testing is part of her family history presentations and part of her proposals for clients due to the additional genealogical and historical information it provides.

Donor DNA & The Future Of Third Party Assisted Reproduction

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The Causeway

2010-04-22T00:49:00.001-04:00

I’ve forgotten how pretty it is to drive across the bay at sunset but tonight was a nice reminder of things that I’ve missed or forgotten about the joys of Florida but tonight was just - zipping down the Courtney Campbell Causeway at sunset. That makes me really want to take a trip to the little islands or even down to explore the keys.

The water looked perfect tonight and the sunset was simply gorgeous. It was one of the best drives I’ve had being on the bridge surrounded by water around me.

Sunsets on the PCH were nice too but for some reason (I think the hecticness of it all and the traffic and the constantly moving mentality) it didn’t seem like the moment I was in tonight.

I feel like I should have had the top down (if my car was able to do that) and the wind blowing thru my hair.

I still haven’t been to the beach since I got home. I want to feel the sand white sand between my feet and hands.

Axis of Awesome - 4 Essential Chords for every good pop song

2010-04-20T13:33:00.000-04:00

I saw a mash up like this on youtube a while ago but this is a live performance and example of the 4 chords in every pop song

The Power of Madonna Indeed

2010-04-19T23:54:00.000-04:00

The Immaculate Collection:

In preparation for Glee’s upcoming all Madonna music episode, I’ve been forced to revisit her music while driving in the car or when walking the dog in my usual “me time”….well, not really forced because it’s not like I don’t already appreciate it.

Hello, Glee + Madonna will almost be as perfect as Glee + Lady Gaga.

However, in doing so, I’ve tried to do a countdown list of, in my personal opinion, the top 10 epic Madonna songs that I think are the best and worthy of such a countdown in my world.

Let’s begin.

#1 Like A Prayer - I believe this song was also the first music video I had ever seen! Back then it was scandalous because it depicted a (gasp) black Jesus among other things and burning crosses. I didn’t realize until recently it also was a euphamism for oral sex (somehow I glossed over the falling down on my knees part) and the dirtiness because I was mainly thinking of the religious overtones. This song is great acapella and the chorus at the end brings down the house and truly makes it the song that it is.

Like A Prayer

And for a special treat, here is the Tori Amos live piano versionnwhich is why this song is also great because it can be musically beautiful.

#2. Vogue – Let’s see – stylish dancing, the introduction of the cone bra, and all around awesomeness is what makes Vogue and iconic video and a staple Madonna song. The rap homage to the classic Hollywood icons was a nice touch and the vogue dancing has always made me want to learn the choreography.

Vogue

#3 Express Yourself – hot sweaty wet men working out in a factory and female sexual empowerment. And yes, don’t go for second best baby.

Express Yourself

#4 Material Girl – the quintessential Madonna song ala tribute to Marilyn Monroe and what gave her the ubiquitous title. Fun and poppy and catchy, this song is also ever gay man’s anthem and can always be used in a shopping video montage

Material Girl

#5 Sooner or Later – from Dick Tracy. A true classic. Written by Stephen Sondheim and wonderfully sung by Madonna, this haunting tune and awesome role of Breathless Mahoney was what first made me aware of Madonna in addition to being a superstar singer. I secretly wanted to be a sex kitten lounge singer because of this song.

#6 Cherish – Directed by iconic photographer Her Ritts, I get the image of Madonna frolicking around on the sand in a video that I remember stuck in my head. And mermaids/mermen! Catchy, poppy, and I always sing out loud the “Romeo and Juliet they never felt this way I bet so don’t underestimate my point of view” part.

Cherish

#7 Ray of Light – After a few years gone from the spotlight, Madonna comes back with the electronica album Ray of Light which helped usher in the use of autotunes and paved Cher’s Believe album which used the same ideas. Produced by electronica artist William Orbitz, this ushered in the new mystical Madonna and the Kabballah. It’ a great pump up the jam song as well.

Ray of Light

#8 I’ll Remember – I like the slow Madonna ballads. See Live to Tell – sometimes I get the two confused.

I'll Remember

#9 Live To Tell – See # 8. A little more sentimental and slow but still a great song.

Live to Tell

#10 Don’t Cry for Me Argentina – I know this isn’t strictly a Madonna song but performance wise, this is still pretty good. Vocally one of the strongest roles and performance and when Madonna was attached to play Evita, it was the best casting choice ever. I know politically Evita isn’t the best representation of good politics but for a musical, it does the job right. Also, I chose this clip because they are actually at the Casa Rosada where Eva Peron gave her famous speeches.

April Updates

2010-04-14T00:09:00.001-04:00

The past few weeks have really been a validation of the reason why I moved back to Tampa – where I am definitely “home”.

My aunts came over to our house on Easter and it was nice to have all the relatives together. We had a full dinner table of 8 people and I was appointed the head chef and basically was in charge of all the cooking. Mom did all the house decorations and laid out the best china and Waterford crystals and was able to just sit back and relax and not really have to play host for the afternoon, which was nice because I could tell she enjoyed it and didn’t mind one bit with the cooking.

It was nice to be able to do that for everyone – because had I not been there I know she would have done it all herself and it would have taken away from the fun of entertaining. Plus it was nice to hear family history and of course the always inevitable conversations of my father discussing oil business. For those keeping tabs at home, my family has some roots in the Oklahoma oil fields and sometimes it plays out like some Dallas-type soap opera (my father being JR Ewing of course) – overall, it was really once of those nice moments of cheesy family togetherness and realizing how important it is to have that in one’s life.

My parents have been overly supportive of helping me find a house (we are ditching the condo idea because they never liked it and think a house is a better investment). Went house hunting all last week and put a bid in on a place but we’ll see how that goes. We even high balled it but I fear we’ll lose it to some investors and companies that flip houses but still holding out our offer might be accepted. But at least we are making headway on the house situation so I can strike that off the list. Up next of course is job, which I had a great interview today with a potential employer so keep your fingers crossed for me loyal fans!

I’m rediscovering the charm of Tampa. From the old houses of Hyde Park, something that I would never find in Los Angeles. I even re-visited my childhood block that I grew up on because a friend of mine actually lives there and has been giving me all the scoops on the renovations and neighborhood happenings. I’ve been touring the fabulous mansions and southern bungalows of Hyde Park and it’s motivated me to hopefully aspire to live back in that area (not that I don’t mind Palma Ceia).

Life has a funny way of making you appreciate the little things. Not that I am completely tossing my experience in LA aside but slowly I am beginning to appreciate what I have here and what Tampa offers more than what LA ever did. Maybe it’s because I have family here to make it easier or maybe it really is a break from a world that I particularly did not fit into but I find myself, aside from the people I left beind, not really looking back too much into the past. Good or bad thing?

My mother suggested I should take some culinary classes so I have an appt tomorrow with the Culinary Arts School. We’ll see where this goes!

Why I Love The Phantom of the Opera

2010-03-29T21:17:00.001-04:00

My favourite musical is The Phantom of the Opera. I think most of my friends can attest to that. I’ve gotten flack for it in recent years, especially when discussing the “what’s your favourite musical” talk amongst theatre friends.

Every so often I re-visit this show. Because of all the hype with Love Never Dies, the “sequel”, I’ve been trying to put it all into perspective and listen to the show with an open mind….so far it’s been hard. But in any case, re-visiting the original source material is often a good place to start and I’ve discovered my love affair for Phantom all over again.

Quite simply, had I not discovered Phantom, I probably would not have discovered musicals in general (at least for a very long time afterwards because eventually the gay gene would have kicked in by that point). It was 2nd or 3rd grade and it was after school in my mom’s classroom when I heard the most glorious sounds of the Phantom organ theme blasting from up the hall. Transfixed by the sound, I glided to the source of the music and listened outside the door as if awakened by this glorious sound.

“What is that?” I asked to the girl that was sitting on the floor doing her homework.

“It’s a musical….”

Oooh, the word musical was so foreign for me. My only experience at that point was having successfully done The King and I in Tampa two years before and my first taste of Rodgers and Hammerstein.

After listening to more and later learning the names of such beautiful pieces such as Masquerade and The Music of the Night, the girl’s mother made a tape of the highlights for me where every morning on the way to school I would listen to it in our Chrysler New Yorker car which we had named “George” because he would kindly remind us to fasten our seatbelt and let us know if the door was ajar (and my 10 year old self would often wonder how a door could be a jar?)

I became obsessed with the story and the music. I learned to play the songs by ear, pounding away at the piano recalling from memory what the notes sounded like, trying to perfect each song. Music of the Night became my anthem, first learning the right hand and then adding my own mix to the left yet when played together, a beautiful symphony filled the air.

In our last summer to England before we would depart back to America on the QE II, I remember standing in line at Her Majesty’s Theatre trying to get tickets for the show. Of course it was sold out, and I remember being so disappointed and crying because I thought that was my last chance. My parents bought me the cast recording as my consolation prize and we spent that summer once again listening to the whole soundtrack.

It wasn’t until 5th grade when I finally saw the touring production in Tampa and I was able to see it completely in it’s entirety. From the chandelier rising to the dry ice of the lair to the chandelier crashing to the haunting finale, it truly was a moment savoured in my head. I would later see the show a few more times. Once again in Tampa with Matthew, in NYC, and in London (back to the scene of the crime).

Beyond the music, which is a great score filled with sweeping melodies epic songs, what I realized more was the emotional impact that the story had for me, especially as I got older and was able to identify with the characters. Here was a man who loved someone that he couldn’t have. He was “ugly” and shunned by the world and had self esteem issues until someone comes who shows him what love can be….only to be rejected in the end because he couldn’t have what he wanted.

I am sure we’ve all felt we were Phantoms before – hiding behind a mask waiting for someone to come along and see us for who we truly are (a truly scary thought in itself) – to look beyond the physical or our obstructions and find the inner beauty that we possess. There were times where I’ve tried desperately to love someone who could never give me what I wanted in return, and there were times where I couldn’t even get too close for fear or the ultimate rejection.

In the end, Christine tries to choose the Phantom, perhaps out of real love or out of pity, but she shows him that he has the ability to be loved be another if he accepts it and by allows someone to let them into his world versus shunning them aside. However, in that moment, the Phantom realizes that he must let her go before he is found by the angry mob and banish himself from the mess he created. To find love and to get what you ultimately want, but sacrifice it for the greater good.

In the end, for me, Phantom is the ultimate unrequited love story of passion and self-consciousness – the need for a muse and the ultimate obsessive yearning – the power of theatre, the visuals, the haunting music, and quite simply, nothing is more powerful than the final moments of the show where the orchestra reprises Music of the Night to a sweeping and epic crecendo and then the curtain fades to black.

We are all Phantoms of the world – trying to make sense of what do not understand, trying to grab the attention of the one we love and for the world to see us for how we want to see ourselves.

We are the angels of music and the music of the night
Floating
Falling
Sweet intoxication

There's No Place Like Home

2010-03-24T02:45:00.000-04:00

It’s been about a month since I’ve returned back to Tampa, I’ve gotten used to the fact that this is “home” now and that I’m not simply here on vacation or visiting or stopping . Actually, that whole mentality of me accepting the fact I am home was a quick change than I thought. I seem to be playing the “I just moved into town” card nicely.

I found some really awesome organizations to be involved in and for me to be socially active and so far it’s worked well. The gay running club was a success and the first day I was invited to a St. Patrick’s Day party that night! The next day I managed to swing my way into the Tennis Club in town so I’ve been getting lessons and slowly warming myself up in the event I should make my debute into the gay tennis society. And on top of it all, the gay book club was fun to participate in which lead me to the bigger organization that organizes fun events to do around town….

So the social aspect of things have been nice…now we work on the living situation and the job. I’m going condo hunting – I explained how it was a better investment in the long run and now that condos go for as low as 40k here in town, it’s a half price sale all around!

I really have enjoyed being with my family, which has been the main motiviation fo why I moved. To be with them for their birthdays was fun. The Larkin’s went out together on St. Patrick’s day and bar hopped around South Tampa. Family dinners, conversations, running errands, even walking the damn dog – it’s all been worthwhile.

Certainty like this comes but once in a lifetime

2010-03-18T22:36:00.000-04:00

I just read one of the most beautiful passages in literature I have come across in a long time. I'm totally gonna have this either read or printed out for my wedding in the future:

It's clear to me now that I have been moving toward you and you toward me for a long time. Though neither of us was aware of the other before we met, there was a kind of mindless certainty humming blithely along beneath our ignorance that ensured we would come together. LIke two solitary birds flying the great prairies by celestial reckoning, all of these years and lifetimes we have been moving towards one another
- The Bridges of Madison County

Love Never Dies

2010-03-07T10:09:00.000-05:00

The sequel to Phantom of the Opera....I don't know how I feel but hopefully it should be good since Phantom holds a special place in my heart.

Leaving Los Angeles

2010-03-07T09:05:00.000-05:00

Six years ago I came to this town with wild dreams in my head of making it big – becoming successful and well respected in my field of work, being invited to all the cool parties, become part of the in crowd and know the latest gossip before it even hit the stands. Fresh out of college, this was my first chance to truly be free and off on my own. The real world and real jobs, truly trying to make it on my own. This was a big town and I was going to explore as much as I could.

I lost myself in Los Angeles for a bit, and in some deus ex machinas epiphany, I also was also able to rise like a phoenix reborn and find myself again; a new purpose and a new fire that ignited my passion. I realized there was so much uncharted territory left and I had only yet begun a journey that I still quite don’t know where it will take me.

I have always admired those who were able to pack up and move to a new city on their own and establish some type of life. I had heard the stories at parties…small town person moving to the big city…yearning to start a new life…to live their dreams…to defy the odds To make new friends and be truly off on their own.

I secretly wanted that – yet was also scared of the possibilities of what that entailed. The packing up, the leaving behind, the idea of starting over and creating a whole new identity…

I made new friends, established a new life. Led secret lives that only those closest to me could ever be trusted with my secret. I had adventures, I embraced the challenges of adulthood, the post years of college where things made no sense at all and struggled with the balance of adulthood. I learned that I was a strong and independent person –struggled with the idea of finding my own self worth, struggled with relationships that never seemed to matter and make sense and allowed me to get lost in the moments.

I realized I was more than what I wanted to be or what I thought I wanted to become. I found inspiration in the non material world around me. Inspiration in my friends, in the every day common activities of life rather than the glitz and glamour. I found solice in the mountains of Runyan or the beaches of Malibu and the wines from Napa. I made peace with myself for realizing some dreams had to be put on hold or that I was better suited realistically for other things. I looked in mirrors and saw someone else at times, a skewed image of what I thought I was there.

I decided in the past two years I needed something more. There were other things out there and I needed to grab onto it and figure out how to make due with those situations. I wasn’t ready though - things didn’t seem right at the time. It was more of an escape, an alternative solution rather than a choice of my own free will. And then it all clicked and things fell into place and I knew it was time…

So here I go, ready to start the new adventure, scared and unsure at the same time of what lays behind the corner. I am now that person I used to envy – the ones who can leave and start over and have time to discover what else is out there…

This is only the beginning. And as always, stayed tuned for more update:

This still never gets old

2010-02-03T19:28:00.000-05:00

Cannot wait for the documentary film opening on Feb 17th!

The Final Month

2010-02-02T00:46:00.000-05:00

Now that is is February, the final countdown has begun of leaving Los Angles.

Saturday night I went out dancing in Weho for the final time as a Los Angeles resident. V and John joined and we did our thing at Cherry Pop. It was crowded and the people were rude and the music actually was not that great for the evening - not quite a proper send off but kinda appropriate with it being West Hollywood and I realized how "ugh" the scene can get and made me not care that I was leaving that behind. Perhaps I can shake some things up in Ybor when the time comes....that or I realize that I am way too old to be out and about dancing like a canned sardine in a packed dance club.

We did our usual McDonald's run because we were hungry, which then translated to an impromptu sleepover because it was just more convenient to all sleep over together.....which thus became "the last sleepover" that we would be having for a long time.

I realized I would miss the convenience of having my friends around and for us to have random adventures, whether it be a night out or a brunch in, as we decided to do when we woke up, hitting Starbucks on the way, adding alcohol to our coffees and sipping mimosas watching Crossroads and plotting the premise of a Lady Gaga musical ala ABBA Mamma Mia style.

I moved out of the girl's place and into Parker and Krysta's...kinda going back in time in the houses I have lived in "this is your life" kinda retrospect. It's nice being back in my old room and in familiar settings..

It's starting to slowly hit of all the things I will miss...

Adventures in Ghana - The Official African Blog

2010-01-29T14:28:00.000-05:00

15 hrs later and I am finally back on the ground. My flight from LA to NYC went off well without a hitch (yay personal tv screens) and then I met up with my travel companion Sarah (who was luckily on the same flight as me so we met up at the airport) and began our journey - our last meal was Sbarros at the JFK airport.

Our seat mate was a nice man from the neighboring country Togo. He lives in Denver now with his family and emigrated to the US after years of political uproar in Togo and his need for his family to feel safe. Previously he had worked for UNICEF and was very curious about what we were going to do in the country. He gave me some insight as to the whole political heirarchy of how corrupt the system is and how much money is trickled down to actual spending on developing nations versus the politcal heads of states and department programs.

And while the reality is that these organizations probably could do more with their money, he agreed that without them (UNICEF, UNTED NATIONS, USAID, and WHO (World Health Organization) however, the countries would be in worse shape. He talked about how he has worked directly with organizations that do sort of a sustainable money borrowing system, in which after 2 years the people repay their loans after learning how to budget themselves while using the money to directly stimulate the economy and provide for themselves and their communities which is what our program we are doing focuses on - the sustainability of education and self sufficiency.

There were some other people who were going to the country doing volunteer type work...in the sea of Africans as we boarded the plane, we were amongst the minority this time.

Sunrise was on the horizon as we neared our destination. I looked out the window and did the whole "wow this an Africa sunrise" moment. Cue me listening to the South African production of the Lion King to get my African chorale music trick, followed by Toto's Africa of course, which has been the theme song of me the past few days.

Our taxi took us to thru the village to our little simple hotel....once we get ourselves cleaned up and grounded, we're going to adventure out into the city and explore around - so far it seems like every other remote village I have personally been to - there are regular looking houses mixed with shanty type communities yet people are friendly and willing to offer advice wherever we turn (though we have to pry the info out of them).

And of course, wheverer you go, wireless internet is the big thing so as I told my friend Vanessa who was skeptical that I wasnt really going to rough it with my computer in hand, it proves my theory that even in the 3rd world countries, people love their internet.

PS I started reading "We wish to inform you that tomorrow we will be killed with oru families" by Philip Gourevitch, about the Rwandan genocides. 2 chapters in and it is well written, haunting, and very informative. I highly recommend.

* * * * * *

Sarah and I got to our hotel and immediately crashed. It was only suppose to be a nap which ended being a 5 hr sleep fest now that we had a bed to actually lay out on and stretch our sleep legs. So after sleep and a well deserved shower (something I had not done since Thursday night New Years Eve), we were able to be functional and begin our night.

We walked down to the main road towards Frankies. The sewer drains are open ditches basically, so you have to kinda jump over them when crossing the road. It didn't smell so bad and I somewhat got used to it after only a few minutes outside. There were some vendors out on the street but mostly just people walking to and from their destinations.

From Ghana Adventure 2010

Weather wise it is hot...a mixture of dry and humid though we were not outside in the prime of the day to experience how hot it could get. That is what tomorrow is for. Today was simply recovery and settling in.

Frankie's Hotel and Restaurant which was definitely hopping on a early Saturday night. There was a football game (Liverpool vs. some team I didn't quite catch) and I immediately got that cheesy "yes I am in a foreign country" smile. The restaurant was crowded, full of locals and a few "Americans" (as to me now, anyone who isn't African I automatically assume is American unless they look like a European). I assume one of the reasons why this place is so popular because the food is very American (or close to it) and it was very evident that all the people whether it be families, teens, people sitting to watch the games, and even couples - came to just eat and have a good time. People definitely were dressed nicely as if coming to Frankie's alone was a reason to dress up or they might be heading out elsewhere later in the night. I tasted the coca cola which had that nice sweet non US taste, followed by the ketchup which definitely hit the spot.

We people watched the crowd since our table overlooked the main road which is a two lane stretch of dirt road. It was rush hour traffic, as evident of the non stop parade of cars and people. The majority of little things I noticed was the fact that the Ghanese (Ghanans) love their cell phones. Everyone had theirs out and were playing games or texting to their friends. That and the wireless internet advertisments are everywhere (see, told you Vanessa).

So after our american dinner of pizza and ice cream sundaes (seriously hit the spot) along with the local Ghana beer and a malaria pill, we walked back to our hotel, passing the street vendors and I had my first encounter of a little girl begging for money and then latching onto my leg till I had to kinda shoo her off.

I forgot to mention, driving in from the airport I kept seeing signs indicating the UNHCR (Untied Nations Human Rights Campaign for those non loyal blog readers) and I got pretty excited - I want to try to scope out and see if there is an actual office or center to check out and investigate while I am here and find out more info in general.

Bought my liter of water for the night, as I almost had turned on the faucet by instinct to brush my teeth. .57cents for a liter of bottle is not bad at all.

The exchange rate is about 1.48 so I am quickly re-learning my math skills to divide everything by that number. And by learning my math skills i mean punching it into the calculator of my iPhone.

We meet our contact person in the AM and hopefully will venture more around the city and get a better insider's view before we head to the central coast and begin our work with the Alliance For Youth Development http://www.aydghana.org

* * * * *
I slept fairly well but have noticed ever since taking the pills, my dreams are very vivid and I have like 6 or so very distinct dreams in the course of a night's sleep - All with their own storyline and conclusion and various aspects of my subconscious seem to sink into these dreams.

Luckily our room has air condition. We have to hit the button every 30 minutes or so on the timer but it is the price one has to pay to keep cool on a humid night. Sarah and I are in a quaint single room - A full bed with a kitchen and bathroom though, the equivalent of a studio apartment. It's nice to have a travel companion or else I feel I would just have secluded myself in the room the past few days or found a white person's resort and lived the life for two days.

Breakfast in our room was an egg white omelete with some peppers and spices. Quite yummy. I broke in my Starbucks VIA traveler mug courtesy of Jenn and Cara and it tasted ever so good. A bit strong but because there was cream and sugar available I was able to completely Starbucks-fy my morning. I'm prentending that I am a faux ex-patriate in a way - that or an undercover agent / govermenent official on a secret peace keeping mission. Yes, these are the things I pretend in my mind when I am on a solo journey. I embrace my dorkiness :)

Tomorrow begins our actual duties with the Alliance for Youth Development, an orgnaization that helps the children of the area affected by HIV/AIDS. I really don't quite comprehend this aspect of the country and the issues like that so it will be interesting to see and encounter the stories and try to figure out why and how and what people have to deal with on a daily basis.....I know I feel like an ignorant American in that aspect but I genuinely really want to learn as much history and reasoning behind why as a nation things fall into a cliche of what Westerners think of when they hear "Africa"....

It's suppose to rain Monday and Tuesday. I guess I really will be blessing the rains down in Africa.

* * * * * *
We met up with the rest of our group (Anne-Louise and Rachel and our leader Elizabeth) today finally and things are slowly coming together as we are learning exactly where we will be and what each other's projects will consist of. Anne-Louise and Rachel have both done programs abroad and are still in school so it was nice to get their perspective on things. Rachel was previous in Rwanda so we talked a bit about the genocides and Rwanda vs. Ghana. Anne-Louise just came back from Nicaragua and Costa Rica and is staying a bit longer to help work in the orphanage that we will be at.

It's nice to be surrounded by others who have the same interest and swapping stories. Definitely will be a great learning experience.

So the group had lunch today at Papeye's which had I believe classic lebanese cuisine (I could be wrong) but I had some chicken with this pepper/chili sauce and rice to fill me up for the day. I drank water from a plastic bag (which is cheaper than bottled water but reminded me of those melted popsicles you put in the freezer to drink. For an on the go type of walk, the plastic bottles were just fine in my book. I was able to snap photos today during the walk, simply to try to document the atmosphere of it all.

The group decided to go to the beach since it was our last day in the city and we wanted to hit a "must see/must do" spot. Ah the beach, even in America, my typical lazy Sunday activity! I We jumped in a cab to take us 5 minutes outside the city to the shoreline and immediately saw crowds of people frolicking in the water - definitely probably the most crowded I had see a beach in a while - all filled with non white people - a sight that was fairly unfamiliar with me as opposed to the beaches of Southern LA (which ironically for me, the beach was called La Beach, or I interpreted as L.A. beach)

Either way, we managed to walk a few feet before all the hustling began and we were bombarded with merchants and locals who wanted to talk to us (well, the girls in particular since I am the only guy in the group and they obviously wanted to talk them - which was great because I just sat back and relaxed the whole time uninterrupted).

It was definitely an ideal people watching spot as I carefully observed people from afar. It seemed that everyone was having a good time and Elizabeth (the head of the program) had called this Party Beach, so it was able to live up to our expectations. Somehow in the course of the merchants passing thru, Sarah (the girl I had met up with previously before this trip and was on the same flight as me) was coersed into getting her nails painted at the beach. Apparently the woman was not going to take no for an answer, even threatening that she would beat Sarah if she didn't get her nails done free of charge.

There is a custom here I guess that happens here in Africa. Whenever they see a white person, you are called an "obruni"

***author's notes/disclaimers: I do not know the official spelling of the words and will phonetically write them out so the readers at home will be able to follow along*****

and you are suppose to respond "oh be be di" which is "black person". So it's more like a recognition and term of endearment more so than derrogitory. I doubt that would fly well in the US. But to the Africans, I am apparently automatically Chinese, evident when one of the local boys came to talk to us and when introducing himself and asking where we from he immediately said "you're from China?" and I corrected him by saying "Los Angeles". I figured I should get used to it. I mean, we all do look alike right? (inside joke).

Dinner was at Frankie's again. It is becoming our usual hot spot and tonight was BBQ pizza. There was the usual mix of some American/Europeans and the locals.

It's morning now - I woke up around 6AM to do some work and catch up on some news, etc. Today is when things start to get rolling so I'm excited to find out where we will be staying and what the school site looks like, etc. We're heading to the Central Coast, so maybe about an hour away - more jungle-esque scenery from what I have gathered.

To Market To Market To Market We Go!
Just got back from the market. I woke up at 5am today and decided to stay up so I can rest better tonight - plus Elizabeth said that the children will be up around 5am to bathe for school so I should start getting used to rising that early.

We took a cab to the local market where we bought some food supplies to last us about two days up in Osu. The market was great because it reminded me of my first time in Paris where we went to the local market and I was mesmerized by all the food and live animals and the chaotic-ness of it all.

From Ghana Adventure 2010

The smell here, mixed with the dirty sewers and the odor of fish and meat in the heat gave me a bit of a headache at first, but like everything, you quickly suck it up and get used to it. For a Monday morning, things were happening in the market place and the streets were busier than the previous two days to demonstrate the hustle of Accra.

Arrival into Cape Coast & the work site
THE SITE: Alliance for Youth Development Orphanage

We arrived at our site, the Alliance for Youth Development Orphanage in the Cape Coast late afternoon. We hired a driver for the afternoon, a small bus (Tro Tro) hitting major traffic on the two lane streets that left us a bumpy ride in addition to inhaling dust and smoke exhaust – an intoxicating combination that left my sinuses mad at me. The best part though was that everytime we stopped, there were people in the streets running to the cars to sell some items directly to us so there was never any need to leave the car – merchants selling sell phones, gum, water, snacks, and even coat hangers. One would have to be careful though because like shopping at Target, you might end up leaving with more crap than you thought you would want.

The drive to the Cape Coast gave a good overview of life in Ghana, the mixture of the roadside stands and the shanty huts that parade the street. Everything is like one desolate dust bow and a sad indication of the pollution that plagues the country as trash is everywhere and the sanitary conditions would make even the most uncivilized American feel dirty. I tried to take photos to document and get a sense of how life is for those back home, but even in my attempts to do so, everything started to feel the same and repetitive and I would have rather focused on trying to sleep during the ride and ease my oncoming head ache.

Cape Coast is near the water, so we have a nice coastal breeze that runs thru the jungle. The terrain has changed now. It is more of the classic “jungle” greenery that I had envisioned Africa to be. We are also away from the major city so obviously things look more remote and have a quaint and simplistic feeling.

The house we are in is owned by Elvis, the man who started this orphanage. Some of the children were already aware of our presence and watched us debark our Tuc Tuc, though at a distance and cautiously trying to scope us out and ran away when we would get too close.

The house is simple. Large living room, fridge, kitchen area…the girls in the program are in one room and I have a whole room to myself (being the only guy – another one of the perks). My room has a large full mattress pad on the floor with one sheet, three windows with makeshift curtains. After settling my bags down and taking in my new home for the next three weeks, I admit that this materialistic American snob finally faced the reality of the situation and experience that this was going to be “roughing it”. I freaked out a bit. There was a small sense of panic ranging from “how am I going to be comfortable and live” to the “omg three weeks? What was I thinking” and then finally the more mature and aspiring humanitarian in me settled on the “I can do this” attitude (which partly may have subsided when I discovered the light switch and power outlet in my room so I could hook up my laptop for some music and movie entertainment).

From Ghana Adventure 2010

We do have a bathroom with a toilet and shower (yay running water…) so the amenities of the situation, while a bit rustic, are bearable. It’s like camping…..at least that is what I tell myself. We even have two girls who come to cook for us which is nice but I feel guilty…they are part of the vocational school and in addition to weaving and doing prints on clothe, they cook for us.

We had our first meeting, discussing each of our research topic goals and what we want to accomplish and how we will go about in the communities to gather the information. We introduced ourselves, our backgrounds, what we wanted to get out of this, and experiences. We are all an amazing group to be honest. I highly respect and admire the work and stories that others have done in the past and it is very inspiring to finally meet people who have similar goals and to see how they have gone about with their plans. I might team up with others and I definitely want to visit the Ministry of Culture since the Ministry of Education is in Cape Coast. We planned our two day trip to Mole National Park and how we will be taking some of the students with us. We’ll meet the kids in the AM and get introduced around town.

And then there is Elvis, who shared his passion for others and how much he loves his country and wants to help his fellow citizens combating HIV/AIDS. How he started the orphanage and how everyone in the area knows him because of his work. How he loves politics and is actually a politician himself, having been recently appointed. He gave us a background of how the government of Ghana works and then he gave us a brief overview of how HIV/AIDS is affecting the community and the mentality needs to change in addition to the actual preventative research, a main struggle of why some countries/cultures are vastly affected. Basically his whole life will be dedicated to helping others and the orphans and his community.

After our meeting and dinner, I was left with a sense of complete, for lack of a better word at the moment “wow”. It’s amazing that we’re all able to come together to work on a project and contribute some way to the organization and to the kids. I’m excited to get to the core research, but also nervous in the fact that we really have to get out there on our own and investigate. I keep telling myself to pretend like I am an investigative journalist and to constantly report back all that I am learning, to share with my friends and others all the stories (which I am and aspire to do)….

* * * * * *
I woke up to the sound of a rooster calling. I thought they were suppose to do that during sunrise but apparently they start at about 3am and then 4am and then things start to happen more around 5am as the town’s PA radio system started to play music and the community hear the kids in the AM start to shower and do their daily chores.

Morning breakfast consisted of rice mixed with water to make a porridge style concoction. Add some condensed milk and some sugar and it was a yummy breakfast for me!

From Ghana Adventure 2010

I’m getting used to all the rice side dishes and I am proud to say I have mastered drinking the Pure Water. If you remember, pure water are the bags of water that we drink out of. Just rip into the side of the bag with your teeth and drink away! I’ve become a Pure Water snob actually, so now the running joke is “I only drink from out of plastic bags.” I wonder if I could turn this into a lucrative business and fashion statement idea for Los Angelenos.

Yesterday we took a tour of Asebu to scope out our neighborhood. There is a small market just a few yards from the house so we said hello to the locals. Everywhere we go we seem to wave at people a lot after they call out to us so I’m getting used to the recognition. The kids especially get really excited and inquisitive and love to run up to get a closer look or wave from afar. If you wave directly they say hello but if you flicker your hand wit an open and closed fist, it means “come to me” and they will approach. We also stopped by Elivs’ orphanage to meet the kids (ranging from a one year old baby to a 14 year old boy). The orphanage is a converted post office but unfortunately the government has kicked them out as of earlier this week and they will be forced to move.

We checked out the future site of the Blue Kitabu Free School which is still being constructed and should be finished by June. The previous rains had slowed down production but we saw the groundwork and foundation and watched the workers basically construct everything from hand – as they were currently mixing the cement to make the bricks.

From Ghana Adventure 2010

We took the tro tro into town, Cape Coast, which was more of a town feeling with an active bustling market/vendor life. It reminded me of the two lane city life of something to a coastal town of Greece or Turkey. We were able to go to an internet café where I did some actual business work and then had the most amazing grilled cheese, egg, and tomato sandwich which hit the spot.

Being in town and riding around now, I am starting to get comfortable with everything – the whole being in a complete foreign city and sizing up the locals which we have found are very helpful and nice and not so intimidating after you get used to it. As in all countries, you just gotta know how to talk and bargain with them so they give you a good price. So our afternoon was spent in Cape Coast which we will definitely go back to on a weekend excursion.

The rest of our afternoon we spent once again walking thru town to start our preliminary research to talk to the kids which turned out more into a getting familiar with the neighborhood situation and having the kids and community feel comfortable around us. We walked up the main road of the town and all the kids started to follow us. Checked out the evening market and spoke to a woman named Victoria who seemed to be the mother hen of the market and I will try to make an effort to visit her and make friends with the women there.

From Ghana Adventure 2010

And then the kids….so many of them running around and so intrigued by the visitors. Once we figured out how to ask what their names were, they were more than helpful to introduce themselves. Two little boys had followed me the most, as they were very curious to see how my camera worked and even more so the notion of seeing themselves on the digital camera, which I am sure was probably one of the first time they were able to recognize themselves.

The older boy Goti and his younger brother or friend was named something I cannot remember at the moment. I know it will take a while to remember names.. At the top of the village there is the local public school and a huge flat courtyard where older boys were playing football while the younger kids were running around with tires or metal wheel frames with their sticks and chasing things around. I asked one of the boys to show me how he works his wheel and then I tried to do it myself and managed to hold my own against the pros. I do have to admit, it is kind of fun to do that and I can see the appeal when you don’t have much to play with anyways.

From Ghana Adventure 2010

I think just surrounding ourselves in the environment made the kids warm up to us more which will then gain our trust and have them talk to us more. It was a good political strategy and I figure I can also practice my Fanti (the main local language) lesson with the locals.

I explored the orphanage a bit more.

From Ghana Adventure 2010

There are two bedrooms where the boys and girls sleep and they all sleep in bunk beds. There are two house women to care for the kids and then they have a small kitchen and the bathroom adjacent to the house. The children all participate in the chores and the older ones help out at Elvis’ house. I think there are about 16 children that live there and four more were coming on the way. I had a little moment to myself where I realized how bleak the situation was. I don’t know if any of these kids will be adopted or if any have been from the house. They get sponsored to go to school but adoption wise, that may be another story. I had that “oh my god this was me” situation when the children showed me around and had to take a few minutes to compose myself for the moment.

I decided that by the age of 34 I want to adopt a child.

Ghana Day 5

Today’s breakfast was oats and bananas. Things are starting to taste the same and it’s only week one but I think I can handle it. We’re trying to switch the menu up a bit to fit everyone’s dietary needs as well as try to not make our palettes be so bland. The girls know that if they can’t finish their meal that I will be the one to eat up the rest. The consensus by Rachel is that my Doxycyclyn (the malaria medication) makes me really hungry and crave food, as she said she felt when she was in Rwanda for 3 months.

Today we went on site finally. Since the public schools do not start till next week, we have had issues with the local headmasters at the private schools to let us sit in on a classroom. Though ideally we can drop by unannounced, the schools would rather fancy up their classes and demonstrations so as to look good for the visiting Americans. It was evident when we went to the local school in the neighboring town Abura when we went to visit Savior Memorial International School.

We first sat in on the nursery class (kindergarten, 1 and 2) where they were learning and reciting the national prayer and some biblical texts. This was the ideal part of my research, as the uses of singing and dancing was prevalent in the teaching methods. They performed a few songs from their lessons before we switched classrooms. Each time we switched, the students took our chairs and benches for us and although we told them that we could do it ourselves, they insisted to do it for us.

I could tell about each of the classrooms we observed but that is more of the research aspect of my purpose of being here. The school itself was like a giant pavilion covered shed. The main classrooms were all in open walls and when sitting in one class, you could hear the other behind or next to you, so as a student I would find that highly distracting. Aside from the wooden desks and chairs and blackboard, nothing else was there. The classrooms were primarily lectured base as students did not have any books to follow along, as well as any notebooks to write down what was being taught. So it seemed that everything must be absorbed on the spot and then move on to the next lesson. I am sure that even the poorest schools in the US would still seem fancy compared to this school (which ironically enough was a private school).

After seeing about seven classes we were able to hang out at recess with the students and teachers. I interviewed the home economics teacher named Emmanuel who quickly became my new friend. He told me the structure of the “creative arts” program and that on Fridays it was Cultural Day. I asked him what that entailed and he said that if I wanted to come to the school on Friday, he would put together a program for me involving dancing, drumming, and singing. I also found out about the town’s cultural center where they would rehearse for our ceremony and asked if I could come swing by to visit. So Emmanuel said that at 4pm today I could come by to watch the rehearsal and learn more.

From Ghana Adventure 2010

I am realizing that my project entails more about the culture of Ghana and how it gets infused in the school systems which is slowly turning in my favour because my ideal goal so to really understand the people and infuse myself into the community.

So at 4 I took Anne Louise and Rachel back to town via taxi and we met up with Emmanuel. He led us through the backroads of the town (once again making me feel like a journalist meeting a secretive source) where we eventually came upon the cultural center which was tucked in between two houses and was more like a mini plaza square. The drummers were out practicing and were basically having the equivalent of a jam session.

I learned that basically the students are all taught by the teacher, so in this case Emmanuel and that this group has been together for about two years and basically practice everyday. We met the leader also named Emmanuel and then the lead drummer Michael. Michael and teacher Emmanuel also performed a dance which was called the “Asafu” which told the story of the soldiers of the town as well as put on a theatrical dance demonstration. I met a 14 year old named Grace who was quite my little informant and gave me the background and information of the dance techniques, the drumming, and how she was chosen as a dancer. Afterwards Emmanuel 1 and 2 and Michael walked us back to show us chief’s palace where all the town’s drums and weapons are stored and then escorted us to the taxi. I told them I was very honoured and excited to see them perform on Friday and hopefully after a few more interviews I might get to have some lessons snuck in. Emmanuel also anointed me with my Fanti name which was FiFi. I told them I was born on a Friday so that is somehow what my name has become.

From Ghana Adventure 2010

We arrived back in Asebu and went walking through the town. The first night we met Victoria, a woman at the evening market who I have dubbed the mother hen so I told myself I would make an effort to see her every day and hopefully make friends with her and learn more about the life of the community. Victoria speaks limited English but we were able to converse and when she finally asked what we were doing, I told her that we were just walking around the village but also I came to see her. She laughed and everyone who had huddled around to greet us seemed to find that special and now Victoria knows that I will be seeing her at the markets at night.

I do love the fact that everywhere we walk people wave and say hello and the children’s eyes light up when they call out Obruni (white person) and we wave back. It’s like being a local celebrity! I was trying to keep an eye out for my little friends Goti and his brother whom I met the day before but could not spot them. I had hoped they would have spotted me and run up like the others but they were not out today.

At least we visited the orphanage again and all the kids were out and about welcoming us. The previous day I was showing the kids some gymnastics moves and today they were showing me how much they improved. They wanted me to do a flip but I told them I was out of shape and that I would attempt to do it later. Instead though, I attempted to climb the coconut tree and managed to get in about two feet before I realized my climbing skills just weren’t up to par as they were used to these days. The kids are all amazing – just so active and engaging and polite and inquisitive. I have taken a liking to some already and hopefully will have everyone’s names memorized by the end of this week. One of the girls Charity asked if she could be my friend. I told her I would be her friend for as long as she would be mine. And then she hugged me and we played tag for a bit until it was time to go.

Woke up this morning and finally went for a run with the girls. They forgot to wake me up yesterday so I gave them the guilt trip all day long for abandoning me - so at 6:15 we went for a run down the side dirt road that leads of the house and then to the local football field for a few laps. Everyone in the town is already up and about at 5-6am anyways so we were just part of the local crowd and waved to everyone who greeted us on their way to the market and other daily chores.

My goal of the day was to survey the local vendors and assimilate myself into the town – get a feel of what happens on a daily basis and as the great Mr. Rogers’ put it, figure out who are the people in the neighborhood. Rachael and I teamed together and set forth on this expedition which quickly came to a grind as we were met with the inability to effectively communicate with those whose English were very limited beyond the usual “hello” and “how are you” response. We took one of the local boys at the orphanage as our guide and we were able to do some interviews with a woman who weaves hair, a woman on the street that was cooking at her house and a dress shop worker where I was taught the technique how to carry a baby on my back.

From Ghana Adventure 2010

However it was when I met a man by the name of Pastor Maxwell that I found the meat of what my research project going to be based on. Maxwell is a man who is opening up his own school later in the month which will basically be an arts school for the local community. He feels that art needs to be expressed more and that by adding to the culture and education of individuals, it can also help Ghana as a whole to create working and established artist to help build tourism and just world-wide recognition. He said in general, the belief is that artist do not make money and considered it not as important than a more traditional education (sound familiar?) but he wants to change the perception to create positive role models and have more a presence in society. We both share the same view of the creative arts and I told him I was fascinated with his plan and hope to visit his school when I come back in June and I would love to try to work out on some cultural exchange program. He said when I do come back in June, he’ll have a ceremony and make me an ambassador at the school.

The afternoon was the usual routine – walking up the hill past the market to visit Victoria to get my daily dose of Fanti lessons and greeting. I’ve been a staple at the local evening market and the women love to greet us hello and welcome us with open arms. So far Victoria is the only one we know by name - by facial recognition everyone loves to greet us.

I did the usual routine of playing at the orphanage. Today I was co-ersed to climbing the coconut tree because the kids dared me to do it…I managed to get about two feet up and then realized I was out of shape for this type of activity so opted to teach the kids more gymnastics moves until it was time to leave.

When we arrived back at the house, the girls were making Frou Frou Frou Frou is the main local dish which is casavaugh (the starchy root plant) and plantains mashed and mixed together and when done so, turns into a ball of starch. Mary, our cook and the two other girls who work/live at the house were mashing it together and let me partake in the activities. During that time, two local boys had come over and offered to give us Fanti lessons so we all hung out for a bit until dinner was ready. After dinner we all ventured back into town to one of the local churches where we were invited to a practice. While I did not hear any of the local African chant singing that I have been wanting to listen to, we all had fun watching the choir sing and then walked home to retire for the rest of the evening.

Friday January 8, 2010

Friday was cultural day at the school. We arrived onsite at around 10am and per usual, greeted with the masses of children trying to get our attention and inquire why the “obrunis (aka white people)” were visiting. We were led via a parade to the cultural center for the performance where the whole school basically shut down for our presence. Cultural day consisted of the local drumming and dances lead by the students and one of the teachers – since we had seen the dress rehearsal two days before, it was nice to see the final complete product in local attire and the community involved. Afterwards I spoke with Emmanuel, the leader of the group and interviewed him and the fellow musicians and dancers to get their perspective of what art means to them and how everything was formed. I found out that at only the age of 21, he started the cultural group two years ago by himself because he saw the need and importance to have something like this in his community and how he recruited the other members to get involved. Speaking to him, I came up with the idea to get involved in some type of cultural exchange forum in which the arts are important and utilized in a creative and educational environment. I told him how I believed in the same ideas that he has and that music and dance is such a universal language that seems to connect everyone together. I got his contact information and told him I would be back in June and that we should keep in touch. He said the next time I was in town he would have me meet with the chief to learn more about the history and culture of the village.

From Ghana Adventure 2010

The rest of the evening we went spent playing with the kids per usual. I made a new friend named Kofi who is prob one of the most adorable kid I have ever seen. I met him on the streets and he had a walking stick with him and started to draw shapes in the sand and named the shapes so we practiced that and the alphabet and then played football with the rest of the street kids.

From Ghana Adventure 2010

It’s been very rewarding playing with the children every day – to make the connection and consistency in their evenings. It is hard to be in the orphanage because when I stand there and take in the whole scene, the emotional aspect that this is the only home these kids will ever have overcomes me – but then I realize that this is their home and it makes them happy and I am sure there is a sense of community amongst them – they are all great kids. Their smiles, the laughter, the sense that they each take care of each other is very comforting to know that if nothing else, this is all that they have.

Tuesday January 12, 2010.

The past few days have been busy and seem to have all blended together. I’ve survived my first full week in Africa! Surprisingly enough, I think the hardest part is over. As a group we’ve all formed a great bond based on our personalities, adventures together, and our common interest and the research that we have been doing. Sarah, Rachel and I will go running in the mornings or we’ll go for walks in the evenings. Going thru town is fun because we get to walk amongst the villagers and they are always welcoming and excited to see us when we make our presence known. My hands are tired from waving all the time yet there is a nice feeling of being wanted and acknowledge and it makes us the celebrities in town. Saturday we took a fieldtrip (with the kids) to the rainforest to do the canopy tour and walked across the bridges over the trees. Then we stopped at a monkey sanctuary and had a little eco-lession which I am sure was a great educational experience for the kids and we were able to see the countryside.

From Ghana Adventure 2010

Sunday we went to church with Pastor Maxwell who lives across the street (the man who is starting the arts school). Before church we took a tour of the school site and the town – which is always fun to do because I like being in the field and seeing how all the communities work and function (if they do).

African church was amazing. We sat right in the front facing the congregation (the pastor’s choice, definitely not ours) and were welcomed as if we were visiting heads of states. We were encouraged to dance and sing, which we spent probably about an hour jumping up and down and getting in the spirit of things. It was an eye opening spiritual experience and a great Sunday morning activity.

The rest of our day we took in the local football match on the field watching all the neighborhood boys play a match – all in all, a perfect weekend.

From Ghana Adventure 2010

Monday we spent time researching at the local private school that most of the kids from the orphanage attend. I sat in on a creative arts class and had a breakthrough in my research in the fact that the arts in Ghana primarily mean a way of survival rather than expression. One can find the deeper meaning when you are surrounded by people who believe in the same thing but the government doesn’t realize that there in an untapped resource in the promotion of art and that is what is trying to be changed right now. I spoke with a man named Andrew who started an after school program that incorporates the arts and how it is used to educate kids on health lessons as well. We had a good discussion/interview about all the issues at hand and, much like Pastor Maxwell from earlier, believe that to nurture the artistic side of a child is just as important as other tools and helps develop certain fundamental skills necessary for survivial beyond the traditional sense.

Today we went to two sites past Cape Coast – one was a vocational technical school that teaches different life lesson techniques such as sewing bags out of recycled material and the local print which is then sold at stores in town to raise money for the school. We also learned about how different school programs work and ways for these schools to be sustainable beyond funding. The second stop was another orphanage and we walked around and interviewed the founder whose inspiration came from his growing up on the streets and wanting to better his life and was able to be funded by a Belgian and attend school in Europe, later coming back to his country to help his fellow man. We had a late lunch at the local grilled cheese stand which is becoming our favourite spot and an oasis for greasy goodness. After having a food filled afternoon, came back home and visited the orphanage. The German girls who are helping out at the house (an added to the house) brought the kids balloons so as we came up the hill to see them, we were greeted by a sea of colour flying through the air and happy children running around.

From Ghana Adventure 2010

The other night we were discussing about what happens next to the kids, how things are funded, and the idea of helping further the work of the organization. I offered my PR services to Elizabeth so we will discuss about me possibly working virtual for her, and because of my experience and now connection with the organization, it should be an ideal fit. So now I have two part time jobs lined all, all while working from home. We all discussed the idea of coming up with fundraising techniques and I’ve been brainstorming ideas of what I can do when I move back to Tampa to help with the organization as well as local community involvement.

The other revelation was the idea of sponsoring one of the kids from the orphanage in their education process. However the hard part is picking which kid and the idea of knowing that your money is directly helping out someone and can chart the progress….there is a kid in the village named Richard who helps out at the orphanage but does not live there. His presence is very strong and I am sure the kids see him as an older brother type – he really is helpful in all ways and has a quiet, gentle demeanor about him. Elizabeth told me she found out that he only completed primary school and would like to go back one day….so in that discussion I decided I would like to fund Richard’s education (which costs something around less than $30 bucks a month – an easy utility bill that I can cut in my budget)…as I spoke with him today and asked him what he would like to do with school, he mentioned he would love to study English and that he enjoys reading when we can and hopes to teach the other kids as well. I hope I can do whatever I can to help his dream and I feel that out of all of the kids right now, he would be the most appreciative of his education and realize the value and impact it has.

I am learning a lot about myself – reflecting on my values and passions and compassion towards others and really believe in the idea that helping others in turn helps yourself and the world in the end. Everyone I meet, I listen to their stories and enjoy talking to them. I’ve made a connection with kids that hardly can communicate to me but we find common connection in laughter and playing and giving them attention and a feeling of worth – even a basic hug is sometimes the only thing they need.

Ghana is a beautiful country. The land, the sunsets and sunrise, the people, the children, the work we are doing…everything is all coming together in an amazing way and I’ve been very fortunate to be a part of all this.

Sunday January 17, 2010

It’s hard to imagine that my time in Ghana is already running out. There are just three days left to do some research and lay the groundwork for the meat of the outline and paper I am suppose to work on. Wednesday and Thursday were low key research days. We did the usual play at the orphanage and went into “the cape” (aka Cape Coast) to get some grilled cheese sandwiches and spend time doing afternoon shopping.

From Ghana Adventure 2010

We learned to appreciate being in Asebu more than Cape Coast because we are treated better as far as personal space and recognition. In Cape Coast, we are just the white tourist and nothing more. In town, there is more respect and friendliness towards us. I find that going into town quite easy and resourceful and I enjoy using public transportation here in town. We were able to balance out the “work” vs. “play” the past two days and then for the weekend heading out to an eco-lodge in the Western region right by the beach in hopes to see some sea turtles as it is egg laying and hatching season. I nicknamed going to the beach house “The Hamptons” and manifested that this weekend would be relaxing for all of our hard work, a wonderful brunch of French toast, pina coladas, and a masseuse at the beach. Three of the four came to reality. Unfortunately no masseuse were on premises or around a 5 mile radius but at least we got our nice beach house and lounged out in the sun and hammocks. We frolicked on the beach for a few hours intermixed with laying in the sun and relishing in the cool ocean breeze as opposed to the usual heat and humidity Asebu offered us a few hours earlier when we had left on Friday.

From Ghana Adventure 2010

That night we had happy hour and dinner and was welcomed by a seashore thunder storm as we hunted the beach with flashlights in hand seeking out tracks from the turtles coming possible to or from the shore line. No such luck had occurred. Breakfast was French toast and crepes and coffee and breakfast sandwiches – a nice treat for all of us used to oatmeal and a rice pudding mixture.

From Ghana Adventure 2010

Lounging all day long in the sun took its toll and we lazily passed the day doing much of the same until it was time to eat. The sunset was magnificent and the stars above were worth the trip alone. In my very limited astrological knowledge, I spotted Orion’s belt and was able to find the north star from there. With the combination of the waves crashing and our ability to see some small micro-organism sparkle when our feet hit the night water, the time spent at the beach was more than magical and a great escape from all the hard work and semi stress that had accumulated throughout the weeks.

I’m ready to officially move and I realized my next two weeks in Los Angeles hanging around town will seem a bit slow. I need to switch things up a bit. Perhaps stay elsewhere for the time being amongst other friends. I have all the last minute touristy things to do before leaving town…I have people to see, chapters to close on my life and embark on my trip back East to whatever the future holds. I just want it to be done with, to be honest. I realized that more than ever, I am ready for the next chapter of things to come. It’s funny how moments being at the beach or seashore help solidify my bubbling random thoughts at times. I guess a clear head and the open water can help in any situation.

It was hard to believe that we were in the same country that has so much poverty and children wandering the streets as we are used to in town while we’re dinning near the water and the sound of the surf becomes the soundtrack of our weekend.

We leave in a few days. I am thankful and lucky that I get to go back in June to continue research and explore more around the country (and with mom!). As I told my travel buddy Sarah, this trip though was more about me and what I have learned about myself and how I am in situations. I’ve learned to adapt. I’ve learned to navigate by myself and work well in teams and think quick on my feet. I’ve learned to listen and spend time with others and I’ve learned I actually can relate well with children. It’s been a very interesting experience which hopefully will lay the groundwork of things to come in the future.

I love how life throws me interesting scenarios.

The Final Days

Tuesday was the meeting with the Ministry of Education. It was very formal, having to be announced and introduced by the staff to the minister head and having to present a letter we wrote stating our purpose of the visit. It was like seeing the Wizard, except we weren’t seeking a way to find home or a heart or courage or brains. We wanted to simply more about formative assessment, the arts in education, and experiential education and how it will apply to the free school.

I was granted an interview with the District Cultural Coordinator and we had a good discussion about the arts and how to implement the curriculum in school. I still can’t get past the obvious difference between African Creative Arts classes versus the American western idea which was the biggest break through in my research.

We wrapped things up Wednesday, fellowship wise, and started to say good bye to the villagers whom I had build a relationship with, like Victoria and the old lady in the market. It’s hard to tell the children that we are leaving simply because I don’t know if they quite understand. I am sure the older ones do, as they are used to the white people coming for a while and then leaving. In my case, I am coming back so it was easier to tell them that I will be coming back in a few months. The other day, my little friends Kofi, Kofi 2 and Issac Benton actually came up to hug me. I think I’ll miss little Kofi 2 the most. He’s one of those kids who has an old man’s spirit in a toddler’s body.

From Ghana Adventure 2010

I’ll miss the interaction with the children. It really was the highlight of our day when we would walk up to the orphanage before sunset to spend the last hours of daylight. I really hope they can achieve something despite their circumstances. As much as I love walking thru the village and having the children around, I do wonder what will become of them. It seemed like every day so many new kids would pop around the corner and hang out with us. I wonder who their parents are, what they do, how they survive on a daily basis. Yet despite all of what I think are hardships and obstacles, I don’t know if they really are aware of what else is out there, so they are content with their lives. That is such a Western way of thinking perhaps. I didn’t say goodbye, because I knew I would be back. Next time I will be prepared as far as bringing treats and extra clothes to leave behind and some toys for the kids. I learned plenty about myself. The idea that I am good in situations like this, how I can be a leader and how I can navigate myself on my own. I’ll miss walking through the village and being spotted by the children – it’s a sound that is somewhat comforting though there were days I didn’t want to smile and wave back, but then I realized why the rush? Why not take a few seconds to be nice back and wave hello and flash a smile and interact with the kids and fellow villagers – why be the busy rushed American?

For my first time really exploring Africa, I appreciated getting to understand the culture and learning about the people – isn’t that what it is all about when you travel? To go outside your comfort zone and engage yourself in a new society?

Touching down in Amsterdam for my layover, I quickly found myself back in “civilization”. The fact I could drink the water from the faucet and the toilets were modern and the cleanliness of the airport created a rushed sensation – it felt “clean”, shiny, bright. I had that “I’m in Europe” moment and part of me wanted to slip out of the airport and wander the city for a few days because I had forgotten how much I like the look and feel of Europe (note to self: look into grad schools overseas or take a personal trip sometime in the not so distant future).

I spotted a guy who had a UNICEF logo on his tshirt when I was in line trying to change my seat. I decided to follow him and ask him about it once I overheard him speaking English. So manged to introduce myself and say hi and we chatted for a bit after I casually interrupted him from reading the USA Today article about the current updates on Haiti. He was in Nairobi for 6 weeks prior doing health volunteering/research and we talked about volunteering the benefits of traveling – he gave me a website that he found his volunteering session which is something I want to look into.

The rest of my flight was good. I was welcomed back to LA by cold and rainy weather. I finally had my steak I had been craving for 3 weeks. I finally got my driving legs back once I settled in my car and jammed to my iPod. Stumbled with my cell phone, trying to adjust to driving, iPoding, and texting at the same time. That night I was in West Hollywood like a zombie – casually listening in on conversations about stupid topics and seeing the supeficialness of it all, the pretentious side of LA, of society. It was weird to be back – the opposite effect of a culture shock.

I’ve settled back now. Focusing on the move back to the east coast. Saying my goodbyes, wrapping things up, the loose ends of it all.

The new year begins. The new changes in life begins. New adventures. New outlooks.

From Ghana Adventure 2010

FOR ALL PHOTOS, PLEASE CLICK HERE:

Ghana Adventure 2010

or the photo above!

From Ghana Adventure 2010

OMG CELINE DION DOCUMENTARY VIDEO

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Dancing with the Africans

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Dancing with the African women during church! We were invited to chruch by Pastor Maxwell who lived across the street and the service was in our honor. This is how church started and we figured it would be rude not to participate in the celebration - if only Catholic church was like this all the time, I might go more often!

Adventures in Africa

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My little video project I made to document my time in Africa:

Africa Continued

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I woke up to the sound of a rooster calling. I thought they were suppose to do that during sunrise but apparently they start at about 3am and then 4am and then things start to happen more around 5am as the town’s PA radio system started to play music and the community hear the kids in the AM start to shower and do their daily chores.

Morning breakfast consisted of rice mixed with water to make a porridge style concoction. Add some condensed milk and some sugar and it was a yummy breakfast for me! I’m getting used to all the rice side dishes and I am proud to say I have mastered drinking the Pure Water. If you remember, pure water are the bags of water that we drink out of. Just rip into the side of the bag with your teeth and drink away! I’ve become a Pure Water snob actually, so now the running joke is “I only drink from out of plastic bags.” I wonder if I could turn this into a lucrative business and fashion statement idea for Los Angelenos.

Yesterday we took a tour of Asebu to scope out our neighborhood. There is a small market just a few yards from the house so we said hello to the locals. Everywhere we go we seem to wave at people a lot after they call out to us so I’m getting used to the recognition. The kids especially get really excited and inquisitive and love to run up to get a closer look or wave from afar. If you wave directly they say hello but if you flicker your hand wit an open and closed fist, it means “come to me” and they will approach. We also stopped by Elivs’ orphanage to meet the kids (ranging from a one year old baby to a 14 year old boy). The orphanage is a converted post office but unfortunately the government has kicked them out as of earlier this week and they will be forced to move.

We checked out the future site of the Blue Kitabu Free School which is still being constructed and should be finished by June. The previous rains had slowed down production but we saw the groundwork and foundation and watched the workers basically construct everything from hand – as they were currently mixing the cement to make the bricks.

We took the tro tro into town, Cape Coast, which was more of a town feeling with an active bustling market/vendor life. It reminded me of the two lane city life of something to a coastal town of Greece or Turkey. We were able to go to an internet café where I did some actual business work and then had the most amazing grilled cheese, egg, and tomato sandwich which hit the spot.

Being in town and riding around now, I am starting to get comfortable with everything – the whole being in a complete foreign city and sizing up the locals which we have found are very helpful and nice and not so intimidating after you get used to it. As in all countries, you just gotta know how to talk and bargain with them so they give you a good price. So our afternoon was spent in Cape Coast which we will definitely go back to on a weekend excursion.

The rest of our afternoon we spent once again walking thru town to start our preliminary research to talk to the kids which turned out more into a getting familiar with the neighborhood situation and having the kids and community feel comfortable around us. We walked up the main road of the town and all the kids started to follow us. Checked out the evening market and spoke to a woman named Victoria who seemed to be the mother hen of the market and I will try to make an effort to visit her and make friends with the women there. And then the kids….so many of them running around and so intrigued by the visitors. Once we figured out how to ask what their names were, they were more than helpful to introduce themselves. Two little boys had followed me the most, as they were very curious to see how my camera worked and even more so the notion of seeing themselves on the digital camera, which I am sure was probably one of the first time they were able to recognize themselves. The older boy Goti and his younger brother or friend was named something I cannot remember at the moment. I know it will take a while to remember names.. At the top of the village there is the local public school and a huge flat courtyard where older boys were playing football while the younger kids were running around with tires or metal wheel frames with their sticks and chasing things around. I asked one of the boys to show me how he works his wheel and then I tried to do it myself and managed to hold my own against the pros. I do have to admit, it is kind of fun to do that and I can see the appeal when you don’t have much to play with anyways.

I think just surrounding ourselves in the environment made the kids warm up to us more which will then gain our trust and have them talk to us more. It was a good political strategy and I figure I can also practice my Fanti (the main local language) lesson with the locals.

I explored the orphanage a bit more. There are two bedrooms where the boys and girls sleep and they all sleep in bunk beds. There are two house women to care for the kids and then they have a small kitchen and the bathroom adjacent to the house. The children all participate in the chores and the older ones help out at Elvis’ house. I think there are about 16 children that live there and four more were coming on the way. I had a little moment to myself where I realized how bleak the situation was. I don’t know if any of these kids will be adopted or if any have been from the house. They get sponsored to go to school but adoption wise, that may be another story. I had that “oh my god this was me” situation when the children showed me around and had to take a few minutes to compose myself for the moment.

I decided that by the age of 34 I want to adopt a child.

Ghana Day 5

Today’s breakfast was oats and bananas. Things are starting to taste the same and it’s only week one but I think I can handle it. We’re trying to switch the menu up a bit to fit everyone’s dietary needs as well as try to not make our palettes be so bland. The girls know that if they can’t finish their meal that I will be the one to eat up the rest. The consensus by Rachel is that my Doxycyclyn (the malaria medication) makes me really hungry and crave food, as she said she felt when she was in Rwanda for 3 months.

Today we went on site finally. Since the public schools do not start till next week, we have had issues with the local headmasters at the private schools to let us sit in on a classroom. Though ideally we can drop by unannounced, the schools would rather fancy up their classes and demonstrations so as to look good for the visiting Americans. It was evident when we went to the local school in the neighboring town Abura when we went to visit Savior Memorial International School.

We first sat in on the nursery class (kindergarten, 1 and 2) where they were learning and reciting the national prayer and some biblical texts. This was the ideal part of my research, as the uses of singing and dancing was prevalent in the teaching methods. They performed a few songs from their lessons before we switched classrooms. Each time we switched, the students took our chairs and benches for us and although we told them that we could do it ourselves, they insisted to do it for us.

I could tell about each of the classrooms we observed but that is more of the research aspect of my purpose of being here. The school itself was like a giant pavilion covered shed. The main classrooms were all in open walls and when sitting in one class, you could hear the other behind or next to you, so as a student I would find that highly distracting. Aside from the wooden desks and chairs and blackboard, nothing else was there. The classrooms were primarily lectured base as students did not have any books to follow along, as well as any notebooks to write down what was being taught. So it seemed that everything must be absorbed on the spot and then move on to the next lesson. I am sure that even the poorest schools in the US would still seem fancy compared to this school (which ironically enough was a private school).

After seeing about seven classes we were able to hang out at recess with the students and teachers. I interviewed the home economics teacher named Emmanuel who quickly became my new friend. He told me the structure of the “creative arts” program and that on Fridays it was Cultural Day. I asked him what that entailed and he said that if I wanted to come to the school on Friday, he would put together a program for me involving dancing, drumming, and singing. I also found out about the town’s cultural center where they would rehearse for our ceremony and asked if I could come swing by to visit. So Emmanuel said that at 4pm today I could come by to watch the rehearsal and learn more.

I am realizing that my project entails more about the culture of Ghana and how it gets infused in the school systems which is slowly turning in my favour because my ideal goal so to really understand the people and infuse myself into the community.

So at 4 I took Anne Louise and Rachel back to town via taxi and we met up with Emmanuel. He led us through the backroads of the town (once again making me feel like a journalist meeting a secretive source) where we eventually came upon the cultural center which was tucked in between two houses and was more like a mini plaza square. The drummers were out practicing and were basically having the equivalent of a jam session.

I learned that basically the students are all taught by the teacher, so in this case Emmanuel and that this group has been together for about two years and basically practice everyday. We met the leader also named Emmanuel and then the lead drummer Michael. Michael and teacher Emmanuel also performed a dance which was called the “Asafu” which told the story of the soldiers of the town as well as put on a theatrical dance demonstration. I met a 14 year old named Grace who was quite my little informant and gave me the background and information of the dance techniques, the drumming, and how she was chosen as a dancer. Afterwards Emmanuel 1 and 2 and Michael walked us back to show us chief’s palace where all the town’s drums and weapons are stored and then escorted us to the taxi. I told them I was very honoured and excited to see them perform on Friday and hopefully after a few more interviews I might get to have some lessons snuck in. Emmanuel also anointed me with my Fanti name which was FiFi. I told them I was born on a Friday so that is somehow what my name has become.

We arrived back in Asebu and went walking through the town. The first night we met Victoria, a woman at the evening market who I have dubbed the mother hen so I told myself I would make an effort to see her every day and hopefully make friends with her and learn more about the life of the community. Victoria speaks limited English but we were able to converse and when she finally asked what we were doing, I told her that we were just walking around the village but also I came to see her. She laughed and everyone who had huddled around to greet us seemed to find that special and now Victoria knows that I will be seeing her at the markets at night.

I do love the fact that everywhere we walk people wave and say hello and the children’s eyes light up when they call out Obruni (white person) and we wave back. It’s like being a local celebrity! I was trying to keep an eye out for my little friends Goti and his brother whom I met the day before but could not spot them. I had hoped they would have spotted me and run up like the others but they were not out today.

At least we visited the orphanage again and all the kids were out and about welcoming us. The previous day I was showing the kids some gymnastics moves and today they were showing me how much they improved. They wanted me to do a flip but I told them I was out of shape and that I would attempt to do it later. Instead though, I attempted to climb the coconut tree and managed to get in about two feet before I realized my climbing skills just weren’t up to par as they were used to these days. The kids are all amazing – just so active and engaging and polite and inquisitive. I have taken a liking to some already and hopefully will have everyone’s names memorized by the end of this week. One of the girls Charity asked if she could be my friend. I told her I would be her friend for as long as she would be mine. And then she hugged me and we played tag for a bit until it was time to go.

Day 6:

Woke up this morning and finally went for a run with the girls. They forgot to wake me up yesterday so I gave them the guilt trip all day long for abandoning me - so at 6:15 we went for a run down the side dirt road that leads of the house and then to the local football field for a few laps. Everyone in the town is already up and about at 5-6am anyways so we were just part of the local crowd and waved to everyone who greeted us on their way to the market and other daily chores.

My goal of the day was to survey the local vendors and assimilate myself into the town – get a feel of what happens on a daily basis and as the great Mr. Rogers’ put it, figure out who are the people in the neighborhood. Rachael and I teamed together and set forth on this expedition which quickly came to a grind as we were met with the inability to effectively communicate with those whose English were very limited beyond the usual “hello” and “how are you” response. We took one of the local boys at the orphanage as our guide and we were able to do some interviews with a woman who weaves hair, a woman on the street that was cooking at her house and a dress shop worker where I was taught the technique how to carry a baby on my back. However it was when I met a man by the name of Pastor Maxwell that I found the meat of what my research project going to be based on. Maxwell is a man who is opening up his own school later in the month which will basically be an arts school for the local community. He feels that art needs to be expressed more and that by adding to the culture and education of individuals, it can also help Ghana as a whole to create working and established artist to help build tourism and just world-wide recognition. He said in general, the belief is that artist do not make money and considered it not as important than a more traditional education (sound familiar?) but he wants to change the perception to create positive role models and have more a presence in society. We both share the same view of the creative arts and I told him I was fascinated with his plan and hope to visit his school when I come back in June and I would love to try to work out on some cultural exchange program. He said when I do come back in June, he’ll have a ceremony and make me an ambassador at the school.

The afternoon was the usual routine – walking up the hill past the market to visit Victoria to get my daily dose of Fanti lessons and greeting. I’ve been a staple at the local evening market and the women love to greet us hello and welcome us with open arms. So far Victoria is the only one we know by name - by facial recognition everyone loves to greet us.

I did the usual routine of playing at the orphanage. Today I was co-ersed to climbing the coconut tree because the kids dared me to do it…I managed to get about two feet up and then realized I was out of shape for this type of activity so opted to teach the kids more gymnastics moves until it was time to leave.

When we arrived back at the house, the girls were making Frou Frou Frou Frou is the main local dish which is casavaugh (the starchy root plant) and plantains mashed and mixed together and when done so, turns into a ball of starch. Mary, our cook and the two other girls who work/live at the house were mashing it together and let me partake in the activities. During that time, two local boys had come over and offered to give us Fanti lessons so we all hung out for a bit until dinner was ready. After dinner we all ventured back into town to one of the local churches where we were invited to a practice. While I did not hear any of the local African chant singing that I have been wanting to listen to, we all had fun watching the choir sing and then walked home to retire for the rest of the evening.

Friday January 8, 2010

Friday was cultural day at the school. We arrived onsite at around 10am and per usual, greeted with the masses of children trying to get our attention and inquire why the “obrunis (aka white people)” were visiting. We were led via a parade to the cultural center for the performance where the whole school basically shut down for our presence. Cultural day consisted of the local drumming and dances lead by the students and one of the teachers – since we had seen the dress rehearsal two days before, it was nice to see the final complete product in local attire and the community involved. Afterwards I spoke with Emmanuel, the leader of the group and interviewed him and the fellow musicians and dancers to get their perspective of what art means to them and how everything was formed. I found out that at only the age of 21, he started the cultural group two years ago by himself because he saw the need and importance to have something like this in his community and how he recruited the other members to get involved. Speaking to him, I came up with the idea to get involved in some type of cultural exchange forum in which the arts are important and utilized in a creative and educational environment. I told him how I believed in the same ideas that he has and that music and dance is such a universal language that seems to connect everyone together. I got his contact information and told him I would be back in June and that we should keep in touch. He said the next time I was in town he would have me meet with the chief to learn more about the history and culture of the village.

The rest of the evening we went spent playing with the kids per usual. I made a new friend named Kofi who is prob one of the most adorable kid I have ever seen. I met him on the streets and he had a walking stick with him and started to draw shapes in the sand and named the shapes so we practiced that and the alphabet and then played football with the rest of the street kids. It’s been very rewarding playing with the children every day – to make the connectio and consistency in their evenings. It is hard to be in the orphanage because when I stand there and take in the whole scene, the emotional aspect that this is the only home these kids will ever have overcomes me – but then I realize that this is their home and it makes them happy and I am sure there is a sense of community amongst them – they are all great kids. Their smiles, the laughter, the sense that they each take care of each other is very comforting to know that if nothing else, this is all that they have.

Tuesday January 12, 2010.

The past few days have been busy and seem to have all blended together. I’ve survived my first full week in Africa! Surprisingly enough, I think the hardest part is over. As a group we’ve all formed a great bond based on our personalities, adventures together, and our common interest and the research that we have been doing. Sarah, Rachel and I will go running in the mornings or we’ll go for walks in the evenings. Going thru town is fun because we get to walk amongst the villagers and they are always welcoming and excited to see us when we make our presence known. My hands are tired from waving all the time yet there is a nice feeling of being wanted and acknowledge and it makes us the celebrities in town. Saturday we took a fieldtrip (with the kids) to the rainforest to do the canopy tour and walked across the bridges over the trees. Then we stopped at a monkey sanctuary and had a little eco-lession which I am sure was a great educational experience for the kids and we were able to see the countryside. Sunday we went to church with Pastor Maxwell who lives across the street (the man who is starting the arts school). Before church we took a tour of the school site and the town – which is always fun to do because I like being in the field and seeing how all the communities work and function (if they do).

African church was amazing. We sat right in the front facing the congregation (the pastor’s choice, definitely not ours) and were welcomed as if we were visiting heads of states. We were encouraged to dance and sing, which we spent probably about an hour jumping up and down and getting in the spirit of things. It was an eye opening spiritual experience and a great Sunday morning activity. The rest of our day we took in the local football match on the field watching all the neighborhood boys play a match – all in all, a perfect weekend.

Monday we spent time researching at the local private school that most of the kids from the orphanage attend. I sat in on a creative arts class and had a breakthrough in my research in the fact that the arts in Ghana primarily mean a way of survival rather than expression. One can find the deeper meaning when you are surrounded by people who believe in the same thing but the government doesn’t realize that there in an untapped resource in the promotion of art and that is what is trying to be changed right now. I spoke with a man named Andrew who started an after school program that incorporates the arts and how it is used to educate kids on health lessons as well. We had a good discussion/interview about all the issues at hand and, much like Pastor Maxwell from earlier, believe that to nurture the artistic side of a child is just as important as other tools and helps develop certain fundamental skills necessary for survivial beyond the traditional sense.

Today we went to two sites past Cape Coast – one was a vocational technical school that teaches different life lesson techniques such as sewing bags out of recycled material and the local print which is then sold at stores in town to raise money for the school. We also learned about how different school programs work and ways for these schools to be sustainable beyond funding. The second stop was another orphanage and we walked around and interviewed the founder whose inspiration came from his growing up on the streets and wanting to better his life and was able to be funded by a Belgian and attend school in Europe, later coming back to his country to help his fellow man. We had a late lunch at the local grilled cheese stand which is becoming our favourite spot and an oasis for greasy goodness. After having a food filled afternoon, came back home and visited the orphanage. The German girls who are helping out at the house (an added to the house) brought the kids balloons so as we came up the hill to see them, we were greeted by a sea of colour flying through the air and happy children running around.

The other night we were discussing about what happens next to the kids, how things are funded, and the idea of helping further the work of the organization. I offered my PR services to Elizabeth so we will discuss about me possibly working virtual for her, and because of my experience and now connection with the organization, it should be an ideal fit. So now I have two part time jobs lined all, all while working from home. We all discussed the idea of coming up with fundraising techniques and I’ve been brainstorming ideas of what I can do when I move back to Tampa to help with the organization as well as local community involvement.

The other revelation was the idea of sponsoring one of the kids from the orphanage in their education process. However the hard part is picking which kid and the idea of knowing that your money is directly helping out someone and can chart the progress….there is a kid in the village named Richard who helps out at the orphanage but does not live there. His presence is very strong and I am sure the kids see him as an older brother type – he really is helpful in all ways and has a quiet, gentle demeanor about him. Elizabeth told me she found out that he only completed primary school (which he was ashamed about) and would like to go back one day….so in that discussion I decided I would like to fund Richard’s education (which costs something around less than $30 bucks a month – an easy utility bill that I can cut in my budget)…as I spoke with him today and asked him what he would like to do with school, he mentioned he would love to study English and that he enjoys reading when we can and hopes to teach the other kids as well. I hope I can do whatever I can to help his dream and I feel that out of all of the kids right now, he would be the most appreciative of his education and realize the value and impact it has.

I am learning a lot about myself – reflecting on my values and passions and compassion towards others and really believe in the idea that helping others in turn helps yourself and the world in the end. Everyone I meet, I listen to their stories and enjoy talking to them. I’ve made a connection with kids that hardly can communicate to me but we find common connection in laughter and playing and giving them attention and a feeling of worth – even a basic hug is sometimes the only thing they need.

Ghana is a beautiful country. The land, the sunsets and sunrise, the people, the children, the work we are doing…everything is all coming together in an amazing way and I’ve been very fortunate to be a part of all this.

Sunday January 17, 2010

It’s hard to imagine that my time in Ghana is already running out. There are just three days left to do some research and lay the groundwork for the meat of the outline and paper I am suppose to work on. Wednesday and Thursday were low key research days. We did the usual play at the orphanage and went into “the cape” (aka Cape Coast) to get some grilled cheese sandwiches and spend time doing afternoon shopping. We learned to appreciate being in Asebu more than Cape Coast because we are treated better as far as personal space and recognition. In Cape Coast, we are just the white tourist and nothing more. In town, there is more respect and friendliness towards us. I find that going into town quite easy and resourceful and I enjoy using public transportation here in town. We were able to balance out the “work” vs. “play” the past two days and then for the weekend heading out to an eco-lodge in the Western region right by the beach in hopes to see some sea turtles as it is egg laying and hatching season. I nicknamed going to the beach house “The Hamptons” and manifested that this weekend would be relaxing for all of our hard work, a wonderful brunch of French toast, pina coladas, and a masseuse at the beach. Three of the four came to reality. Unfortunately no masseuse were on premises or around a 5 mile radius but at least we got our nice beach house and lounged out in the sun and hammocks. We frolicked on the beach for a few hours intermixed with laying in the sun and relishing in the cool ocean breeze as opposed to the usual heat and humidity Asebu offered us a few hours earlier when we had left on Friday.

That night we had happy hour and dinner and was welcomed by a seashore thunder storm as we hunted the beach with flashlights in hand seeking out tracks from the turtles coming possible to or from the shore line. No such luck had occurred. Breakfast was French toast and crepes and coffee and breakfast sandwiches – a nice treat for all of us used to oatmeal and a rice pudding mixture.

Lounging all day long in the sun took its toll and we lazily passed the day doing much of the same until it was time to eat. The sunset was magnificent and the stars above were worth the trip alone. In my very limited astrological knowledge, I spotted Orion’s belt and was able to find the north star from there. With the combination of the waves crashing and our ability to see some small micro-organism sparkle when our feet hit the night water, the time spent at the beach was more than magical and a great escape from all the hard work and semi stress that had accumulated throughout the weeks.

I’m ready to officially move and I realized my next two weeks in Los Angeles hanging around town will seem a bit slow. I need to switch things up a bit. Perhaps stay elsewhere for the time being amongst other friends. I have all the last minute touristy things to do before leaving town…I have people to see, chapters to close on my life and embark on my trip back East to whatever the future holds. I just want it to be done with, to be honest. I realized that more than ever, I am ready for the next chapter of things to come. It’s funny how moments being at the beach or seashore help solidify my bubbling random thoughts at times. I guess a clear head and the open water can help in any situation.

It was hard to believe that we were in the same country that has so much poverty and children wandering the streets as we are used to in town while we’re dinning near the water and the sound of the surf becomes the soundtrack of our weekend.

We leave in a few days. I am thankful and lucky that I get to go back in June to continue research and explore more around the country (and with mom!). As I told my travel buddy Sarah, this trip though was more about me and what I have learned about myself and how I am in situations. I’ve learned to adapt. I’ve learned to navigate by myself and work well in teams and think quick on my feet. I’ve learned to listen and spend time with others and I’ve learned I actually can relate well with children. It’s been a very interesting experience which hopefully will lay the groundwork of things to come in the future.

I love how life throws me interesting scenarios.

The Final Days

Tuesday was the meeting with the Ministry of Education. It was very formal, having to be announced and introduced by the staff to the minister head and having to present a letter we wrote stating our purpose of the visit. It was like seeing the Wizard, except we weren’t seeking a way to find home or a heart or courage or brains. We wanted to simply more about formative assessment, the arts in education, and experiential education and how it will apply to the free school.

I was granted an interview with the District Cultural Coordinator and we had a good discussion about the arts and how to implement the curriculum in school. I still can’t get past the obvious difference between African Creative Arts classes versus the American western idea which was the biggest break through in my research.

We wrapped things up Wednesday, fellowship wise, and started to say good bye to the villagers whom I had build a relationship with, like Victoria and the old lady in the market. It’s hard to tell the children that we are leaving simply because I don’t know if they quite understand. I am sure the older ones do, as they are used to the white people coming for a while and then leaving. In my case, I am coming back so it was easier to tell them that I will be coming back in a few months. The other day, my little friends Kofi, Kofi 2 and Issac Benton actually came up to hug me. I think I’ll miss little Kofi 2 the most. He’s one of those kids who has an old man’s spirit in a toddler’s body.

I’ll miss the interaction with the children. It really was the highlight of our day when we would walk up to the orphanage before sunset to spend the last hours of daylight. I really hope they can achieve something despite their circumstances. As much as I love walking thru the village and having the children around, I do wonder what will become of them. It seemed like every day so many new kids would pop around the corner and hang out with us. I wonder who their parents are, what they do, how they survive on a daily basis. Yet despite all of what I think are hardships and obstacles, I don’t know if they really are aware of what else is out there, so they are content with their lives. That is such a Western way of thinking perhaps. I didn’t say goodbye, because I knew I would be back. Next time I will be prepared as far as bringing treats and extra clothes to leave behind and some toys for the kids. I learned plenty about myself. The idea that I am good in situations like this, how I can be a leader and how I can navigate myself on my own. I’ll miss walking through the village and being spotted by the children – it’s a sound that is somewhat comforting though there were days I didn’t want to smile and wave back, but then I realized why the rush? Why not take a few seconds to be nice back and wave hello and flash a smile and interact with the kids and fellow villagers – why be the busy rushed American?

For my first time really exploring Africa, I appreciated getting to understand the culture and learning about the people – isn’t that what it is all about when you travel? To go outside your comfort zone and engage yourself in a new society?

Touching down in Amsterdam for my layover, I quickly found myself back in “civilization”. The fact I could drink the water from the faucet and the toilets were modern and the cleanliness of the airport created a rushed sensation – it felt “clean”, shiny, bright. I had that “I’m in Europe” moment and part of me wanted to slip out of the airport and wander the city for a few days because I had forgotten how much I like the look and feel of Europe (note to self: look into grad schools overseas or take a personal trip sometime in the not so distant future).

I spotted a guy who had a UNICEF logo on his tshirt when I was in line trying to change my seat. I decided to follow him and ask him about it once I overheard him speaking English. So manged to introduce myself and say hi and we chatted for a bit after I casually interrupted him from reading the USA Today article about the current updates on Haiti. He was in Nairobi for 6 weeks prior doing health volunteering/research and we talked about volunteering the benefits of traveling – he gave me a website that he found his volunteering session which is something I want to look into.

The rest of my flight was good. I was welcomed back to LA by cold and rainy weather. I finally had my steak I had been craving for 3 weeks. I finally got my driving legs back once I settled in my car and jammed to my iPod. Stumbled with my cell phone, trying to adjust to driving, iPoding, and texting at the same time. That night I was in West Hollywood like a zombie – casually listening in on conversations about stupid topics and seeing the supeficialness of it all, the pretentious side of LA, of society. It was weird to be back – the opposite effect of a culture shock.

I’ve settled back now. Focusing on the move back to the east coast. Saying my goodbyes, wrapping things up, the loose ends of it all.

The new year begins. The new changes in life begins. New adventures. New outlooks.

Arrival into Cape Coast & the work site

2010-01-05T07:12:00.000-05:00

THE SITE: Alliance for Youth Development Orphanage

We arrived at our site, the Alliance for Youth Development Orphanage in the Cape Coast late afternoon. We hired a driver for the afternoon, a small bus (Tru Tru hitting major traffic on the two lane streets that left us a bumpy ride in addition to inhaling dust and smoke exhaust – an intoxicating combination that left my sinuses mad at me. The best part though was that everytime we stopped, there were people in the streets running to the cars to sell some items directly to us so there was never any need to leave the car – merchants selling sell phones, gum, water, snacks, and even coat hangers. One would have to be careful though because like shopping at Target, you might end up leaving with more crap than you thought you would want.

The street merchants reminded me of my childhood in Panama, as I got flash memories sitting in the family’s VW Beetle when driving around town and having people stop to try to sell us something or to wash our car windows.

The drive to the Cape Coast gave a good overview of life in Ghana, the mixture of the roadside stands and the shanty huts that parade the street. Everything is like one desolate dust bow and a sad indication of the pollution that plagues the country as trash is everywhere and the sanitary conditions would make even the most uncivilized American feel dirty. I tried to take photos to document and get a sense of how life is for those back home, but even in my attempts to do so, everything started to feel the same and repetitive and I would have rather focused on trying to sleep during the ride and ease my oncoming head ache.

Cape Coast is near the water, so we have a nice coastal breeze that runs thru the jungle. The terrain has changed now. It is more of the classic “jungle” greenery that I had envisioned Africa to be. We are also away from the major city so obviously things look more remote and have a quaint and simplistic feeling.

The house we are in is owned by Elvis, the man who started this orphanage. Some of the children were already aware of our presence and watched us debark our Tuc Tuc, though at a distance and cautiously trying to scope us out and ran away when we would get too close.

The house is simple. Large living room, fridge, kitchen area…the girls in the program are in one room and I have a whole room to myself (being the only guy – another one of the perks). My room has a large full mattress pad on the floor with one sheet, three windows with makeshift curtains. After settling my bags down and taking in my new home for the next three weeks, I admit that this materialistic American snob finally faced the reality of the situation and experience that this was going to be “roughing it”.

I freaked out a bit. There was a small sense of panic ranging from “how am I going to be comfortable and live” to the “omg three weeks? What was I thinking” and then finally the more mature and aspiring humanitarian in me settled on the “I can do this” attitude (which partly may have subsided when I discovered the light switch and power outlet in my room so I could hook up my laptop for some music and movie entertainment).

We do have a bathroom with a toilet and shower (yay running water…) so the amenities of the situation, while a bit rustic, are bearable. It’s like camping…..at least that is what I tell myself. We even have two girls who come to cook for us which is nice but I feel guilty…they are part of the vocational school and in addition to weaving and doing prints on clothe, they cook for us.

We had our first meeting, discussing each of our research topic goals and what we want to accomplish and how we will go about in the communities to gather the information. We introduced ourselves, our backgrounds, what we wanted to get out of this, and experiences. We are all an amazing group to be honest. I highly respect and admire the work and stories that others have done in the past and it is very inspiring to finally meet people who have similar goals and to see how they have gone about with their plans. I might team up with others and I definitely want to visit the Ministry of Culture since the Ministry of Education is in Cape Coast. We planned our two day trip to Mole National Park and how we will be taking some of the students with us. We’ll meet the kids in the AM and get introduced around town.

And then there is Elvis, who shared his passion for others and how much he loves his country and wants to help his fellow citizens combating HIV/AIDS. How he started the orphanage and how everyone in the area knows him because of his work. How he loves politics and is actually a politician himself, having been recently appointed. He gave us a background of how the government of Ghana works and then he gave us a brief overview of how HIV/AIDS is affecting the community and the mentality needs to change in addition to the actual preventative research, a main struggle of why some countries/cultures are vastly affected. Basically his whole life will be dedicated to helping others and the orphans and his community.

After our meeting and dinner, I was left with a sense of complete, for lack of a better word at the moment “wow”. It’s amazing that we’re all able to come together to work on a project and contribute some way to the organization and to the kids. I’m excited to get to the core research, but also nervous in the fact that we really have to get out there on our own and investigate. I keep telling myself to pretend like I am an investigative journalist and to constantly report back all that I am learning, to share with my friends and others all the stories (which I am and aspire to do)….

And this is only the beginning.

To Market To Market To Market We Go!

2010-01-04T06:41:00.001-05:00

Just got back from the market. I woke up at 5am today and decided to stay up so I can rest better tonight - plus Elizabeth said that the children will be up around 5am to bathe for school so I should start getting used to rising that early. I managed to do some actual work work, catch up on email, and the world news and celebrity gossip reports.

And yes, I did have my leftover Starbucks VIA this morning to wake me up for the day.

We took a cab to the local market where we bought some food supplies to last us about two days up in Osu. The market was great because it reminded me of my first time in Paris where we went to the local market and I was mesmerized by all the food and live animals and the chaotic-ness of it all.

The smell here, mixed with the dirty sewers and the odor of fish and meat in the heat gave me a bit of a headache at first, but like everything, you quickly suck it up and get used to it. For a Monday morning, things were happening in the market place and the streets were busier than the previous two days to demonstrate the hustle of Accra.

Photos:

The Beaches of Ghana

2010-01-04T01:29:00.000-05:00

For photos check out here

We met up with the rest of our group (Anne-Louise and Rachel and our leader Elizabeth) today finally and things are slowly coming together as we are learning exactly where we will be and what each other's projects will consist of. Anne-Louise and Rachel have both done programs abroad and are still in school so it was nice to get their perspective on things. Rachel was previous in Rwanda so we talked a bit about the genocides and Rwanda vs. Ghana. Anne-Louise just came back from Nicaragua and Costa Rica and is staying a bit longer to help work in the orphanage that we will be at.

It's nice to be surrounded by others who have the same interest and swapping stories. Definitely will be a great learning experience.

So the group had lunch today at Papeye's which had I believe classic lebanese cuisine (I could be wrong) but I had some chicken with this pepper/chili sauce and rice to fill me up for the day. I drank water from a plastic bag (which is cheaper than bottled water but reminded me of those melted popsicles you put in the freezer to drink. For an on the go type of walk, the plastic bottles were just fine in my book. I was able to snap photos today during the walk, simply to try to document the atmosphere of it all.

The group decided to go to the beach since it was our last day in the city and we wanted to hit a "must see/must do" spot. Ah the beach, even in America, my typical lazy Sunday activity! I We jumped in a cab to take us 5 minutes outside the city to the shoreline and immediately saw crowds of people frolicking in the water - definitely probably the most crowded I had see a beach in a while - all filled with non white people - a sight that was fairly unfamiliar with me as opposed to the beaches of Southern LA (which ironically for me, the beach was called La Beach, or I interpreted as L.A. beach)

Either way, we managed to walk a few feet before all the hustling began and we were bombarded with merchants and locals who wanted to talk to us (well, the girls in particular since I am the only guy in the group and they obviously wanted to talk them - which was great because I just sat back and relaxed the whole time uninterrupted).

It was definitely an ideal people watching spot as I carefully observed people from afar. It seemed that everyone was having a good time and Elizabeth (the head of the program) had called this Party Beach, so it was able to live up to our expectations. Somehow in the course of the merchants passing thru, Sarah (the girl I had met up with previously before this trip and was on the same flight as me) was coersed into getting her nails painted at the beach. Apparently the woman was not going to take no for an answer, even threatening that she would beat Sarah if she didn't get her nails done free of charge.

There is a custom here I guess that happens here in Africa. Whenever they see a white person, you are called an "obruni"

***author's notes/disclaimers: I do not know the official spelling of the words and will phonetically write them out so the readers at home will be able to follow along*****

and you are suppose to respond "oh bee bee" which is "black person". So it's more like a recognition and term of endearment more so than derrogitory. I doubt that would fly well in the US. But to the Africans, I am apparently automatically Chinese, evident when one of the local boys came to talk to us and when introducing himself and asking where we from he immediately said "you're from China?" and I corrected him by saying "Los Angeles". I figured I should get used to it. I mean, we all do look alike right? (inside joke).

Dinner was at Frankie's again. It is becoming our usual hot spot and tonight was BBQ pizza. There was the usual mix of some American/Europeans and the locals.

It's morning now - I woke up around 6AM to do some work and catch up on some news, etc. Today is when things start to get rolling so I'm excited to find out where we will be staying and what the school site looks like, etc. We're heading to the Central Coast, so maybe about an hour away - more jungle-esque scenery from what I have gathered.

Morning Thoughts

2010-01-03T07:00:00.000-05:00

Semi late morning start.

I slept fairly well but have noticed ever since taking the pills, my dreams are very vivid and I have like 6 or so very distinct dreams in the course of a night's sleep - All with their own storyline and conclusion and various aspects of my subconscious seem to sink into these dreams.

Luckily our room has air condition. We have to hit the button every 30 minutes or so on the timer but it is the price one has to pay to keep cool on a humid night. Sarah and I are in a quaint single room - A full bed with a kitchen and bathroom though, the equivalent of a studio apartment. It's nice to have a travel companion or else I feel I would just have secluded myself in the room the past few days or found a white person's resort and lived the life for two days.

Breakfast in our room was an egg white omelete with some peppers and spices. Quite yummy. I broke in my Starbucks VIA traveler mug courtesy of Jenn and Cara and it tasted ever so good. A bit strong but because there was cream and sugar available I was able to completely Starbucks-fy my morning. I'm prentending that I am a faux ex-patriate in a way - that or an undercover agent / govermenent official on a secret peace keeping mission. Yes, these are the things I pretend in my mind when I am on a solo journey. I embrace my dorkiness :)

Tomorrow begins our actual duties with the Alliance for Youth Development, an orgnaization that helps the children of the area affected by HIV/AIDS. I really don't quite comprehend this aspect of the country and the issues like that so it will be interesting to see and encounter the stories and try to figure out why and how and what people have to deal with on a daily basis.....I know I feel like an ignorant American in that aspect but I genuinely really want to learn as much history and reasoning behind why as a nation things fall into a cliche of what Westerners think of when they hear "Africa"....

It's suppose to rain Monday and Tuesday. I guess I really will be blessing the rains down in Africa.

Day 1 Part II

2010-01-02T15:57:00.000-05:00

Sarah and I got to our hotel and immediately crashed. It was only suppose to be a nap which ended being a 5 hr sleep fest now that we had a bed to actually lay out on and stretch our sleep legs. So after sleep and a well deserved shower (something I had not done since Thursday night New Years Eve), we were able to be functional and begin our night.

We walked down to the main road towards Frankies. The sewer drains are open ditches basically, so you have to kinda jump over them when crossing the road. It didn't smell so bad and I somewhat got used to it after only a few minutes outside. There were some vendors out on the street but mostly just people walking to and from their destinations. Weather wise it is hot...a mixture of dry and humid though we were not outside in the prime of the day to experience how hot it could get. That is what tomorrow is for. Today was simply recovery and settling in.

Frankie's Hotel and Restaurant which was definitely hopping on a early Saturday night. There was a football game (Liverpool vs. some team I didn't quite catch) and I immediately got that cheesy "yes I am in a foreign country" smile. The restaurant was crowded, full of locals and a few "Americans" (as to me now, anyone who isn't African I automatically assume is American unless they look like a European). I assume one of the reasons why this place is so popular because the food is very American (or close to it) and it was very evident that all the people whether it be families, teens, people sitting to watch the games, and even couples - came to just eat and have a good time. People definitely were dressed nicely as if coming to Frankie's alone was a reason to dress up or they might be heading out elsewhere later in the night. I tasted the coca cola which had that nice sweet non US taste, followed by the ketchup which definitely hit the spot.

We people watched the crowd since our table overlooked the main road which is a two lane stretch of dirt road. It was rush hour traffic, as evident of the non stop parade of cars and people. The majority of little things I noticed was the fact that the Ghanese (Ghanans) love their cell phones. Everyone had theirs out and were playing games or texting to their friends. That and the wireless internet advertisments are everywhere (see, told you Vanessa).

So after our american dinner of pizza and ice cream sundaes (seriously hit the spot) along with the local Ghana beer and a malaria pill, we walked back to our hotel, passing the street vendors and I had my first encounter of a little girl begging for money and then latching onto my leg till I had to kinda shoo her off.

I forgot to mention, driving in from the airport I kept seeing signs indicating the UNHCR (Untied Nations Human Rights Campaign for those non loyal blog readers) and I got pretty excited - I want to try to scope out and see if there is an actual office or center to check out and investigate while I am here and find out more info in general.

Bought my liter of water for the night, as I almost had turned on the faucet by instinct to brush my teeth. .57cents for a liter of bottle is not bad at all.

The exchange rate is about 1.48 so I am quickly re-learning my math skills to divide everything by that number. And by learning my math skills i mean punching it into the calculator of my iPhone.

Tomorrow's mission is to buy the SIM CARD chip for my cell phone so then whoever wants to call me may be free to do so.

We meet our contact person in the AM and hopefully will venture more around the city and get a better insider's view before we head to the central coast and begin our work with the alliance for youth development (http://www.aydghana.org/)

Greetings from Ghana

2010-01-02T04:55:00.000-05:00

It's Ghana Be A Happy New Year

2010-01-01T05:00:00.000-05:00

Random thoughts :

Waiting at LAX right now. I can't check in till 4am when the kiosks opens. Thank goodness for my laptop, movies, and attempting to live blog working on my iPhone as an Internet. I'm so technologically advanced. We'll see how well I can operate remotely. Perhaps I can learn to not be so reliable on wireless technology.

New Years Eve was nice. Wen to two parties across town. One intimate and the other a bit more college party-esque atmosphere where I somewhat felt old for a bit. Ah the pleasures of being 28 almost 30. I think that is how I will properly address my age: "28 almost 30".

A year ago at this time I was on the cruise which was constant partying and drinking and dancing and all around good times with new friends.

I remember being in Argentina on my 21st birthday and in the plaza square on new years doing the tango and kissing stranger (what else has changed right?)

The new year brings new responsibilities I suppose. It's exciting to think about all that can happen :)

I hope they have individual TVs on this international flight or else I'll just have to make friends with my iPod and books.

Has it really been a decade? The whole y2k hysteria was the hot news topic. I was eagerly awaiting to hear back what college I would be going to ...high school graduation and then attending 4 years of college in Boston and making more friends for life, finding first love and having many heartbreaks inbetween, moved to Los Angeles, worked and lived life post college, now deciding to move back home to begin the next stage of life...the new decade

So much has changed when you Think about it....when you stop to think how much you have completely accomplished and the other things that lies in store that one doesn't even fathom to think about right now. That's how I feel about my age right now. All the things that I accomplished when from the age of 18 until now. How much I have grown or still have yet to learnand the adventures it has taken. The mistakes (some I wish not to name and revisitbt I have definitely learned from) and the knowledge to know that probably the best is yet to come. When you think about it that way, it all does sound pretty amazing.

I feel like I have a lot to live up to.

And to that, I say bring it on 2010!

It's Ghana Be An Adventure!

2009-12-31T22:32:00.001-05:00

Well, in less than 12 hours, I will be journeying on my trip to Ghana.

It has been about two months in the making since I was able to accomplish this goal and put it out there in the universe. I think I am as prepared as I ever can be for this adventure. I really don't know what to expect and I'm not really looking at is as me changing the lives of others (to a certain extent yes, but I know it's not going to be immediate) rather, I see it as a way to look at myself and discover more about me. How fitting that this will be all in the new year too as I embark on the many changes that are going to be in store.

Am I scared? Sure. Foreign land, all by myself....wondering how to keep my research true while keeping my emotions in check. I'm hoping to learn so much about the culture and to really discover the people that I will be encountering.

2009 was a great year because it took me basically a good chunk of time to really discover who I am and what I really want to do which is now laying my groundwork for 2010 - all I hope putting in my general quest to better myself and the world around me.

I plan to write as much as I can to update my blog during my Africa adventure (since I do have a loyal following who wants to be in the inner circle of my thoughts and adventures) and actually do some informative reporting.

The great thing is that even though I'll be gone for 3 weeks this time, in June I'll be back again for a whole month continuing my work.

So here is to a new year....a new decade of more fun adventures and sorrid stories of debauchery and fun...and more importantly, an outlet to share my world with others.

I would write more but these darn malaria pills have really make me light sensitive and a bit dizzy for the time being....we'll also see how many Ghana related puns I can do in my title posting.

Until then,

Larkin

The Gift of the Magi

2009-12-25T03:03:00.001-05:00

One dollar and eighty-seven cents. That was all. And sixty cents of it was in pennies. Pennies saved one and two at a time by bulldozing the grocer and the vegetable man and the butcher until one's cheeks burned with the silent imputation of parsimony that such close dealing implied. Three times Della counted it. One dollar and eighty- seven cents. And the next day would be Christmas.

There was clearly nothing to do but flop down on the shabby little couch and howl. So Della did it. Which instigates the moral reflection that life is made up of sobs, sniffles, and smiles, with sniffles predominating.

While the mistress of the home is gradually subsiding from the first stage to the second, take a look at the home. A furnished flat at $8 per week. It did not exactly beggar description, but it certainly had that word on the lookout for the mendicancy squad.

In the vestibule below was a letter-box into which no letter would go, and an electric button from which no mortal finger could coax a ring. Also appertaining thereunto was a card bearing the name "Mr. James Dillingham Young."

The "Dillingham" had been flung to the breeze during a former period of prosperity when its possessor was being paid $30 per week. Now, when the income was shrunk to $20, though, they were thinking seriously of contracting to a modest and unassuming D. But whenever Mr. James Dillingham Young came home and reached his flat above he was called "Jim" and greatly hugged by Mrs. James Dillingham Young, already introduced to you as Della. Which is all very good.

Della finished her cry and attended to her cheeks with the powder rag. She stood by the window and looked out dully at a gray cat walking a gray fence in a gray backyard. Tomorrow would be Christmas Day, and she had only $1.87 with which to buy Jim a present. She had been saving every penny she could for months, with this result. Twenty dollars a week doesn't go far. Expenses had been greater than she had calculated. They always are. Only $1.87 to buy a present for Jim. Her Jim. Many a happy hour she had spent planning for something nice for him. Something fine and rare and sterling--something just a little bit near to being worthy of the honor of being owned by Jim.

There was a pier-glass between the windows of the room. Perhaps you have seen a pierglass in an $8 flat. A very thin and very agile person may, by observing his reflection in a rapid sequence of longitudinal strips, obtain a fairly accurate conception of his looks. Della, being slender, had mastered the art.

Suddenly she whirled from the window and stood before the glass. her eyes were shining brilliantly, but her face had lost its color within twenty seconds. Rapidly she pulled down her hair and let it fall to its full length.

Now, there were two possessions of the James Dillingham Youngs in which they both took a mighty pride. One was Jim's gold watch that had been his father's and his grandfather's. The other was Della's hair. Had the queen of Sheba lived in the flat across the airshaft, Della would have let her hair hang out the window some day to dry just to depreciate Her Majesty's jewels and gifts. Had King Solomon been the janitor, with all his treasures piled up in the basement, Jim would have pulled out his watch every time he passed, just to see him pluck at his beard from envy.

So now Della's beautiful hair fell about her rippling and shining like a cascade of brown waters. It reached below her knee and made itself almost a garment for her. And then she did it up again nervously and quickly. Once she faltered for a minute and stood still while a tear or two splashed on the worn red carpet.

On went her old brown jacket; on went her old brown hat. With a whirl of skirts and with the brilliant sparkle still in her eyes, she fluttered out the door and down the stairs to the street.

Where she stopped the sign read: "Mne. Sofronie. Hair Goods of All Kinds." One flight up Della ran, and collected herself, panting. Madame, large, too white, chilly, hardly looked the "Sofronie."

"Will you buy my hair?" asked Della.

"I buy hair," said Madame. "Take yer hat off and let's have a sight at the looks of it."

Down rippled the brown cascade.

"Twenty dollars," said Madame, lifting the mass with a practised hand.

"Give it to me quick," said Della.

Oh, and the next two hours tripped by on rosy wings. Forget the hashed metaphor. She was ransacking the stores for Jim's present.

She found it at last. It surely had been made for Jim and no one else. There was no other like it in any of the stores, and she had turned all of them inside out. It was a platinum fob chain simple and chaste in design, properly proclaiming its value by substance alone and not by meretricious ornamentation--as all good things should do. It was even worthy of The Watch. As soon as she saw it she knew that it must be Jim's. It was like him. Quietness and value--the description applied to both. Twenty-one dollars they took from her for it, and she hurried home with the 87 cents. With that chain on his watch Jim might be properly anxious about the time in any company. Grand as the watch was, he sometimes looked at it on the sly on account of the old leather strap that he used in place of a chain.

When Della reached home her intoxication gave way a little to prudence and reason. She got out her curling irons and lighted the gas and went to work repairing the ravages made by generosity added to love. Which is always a tremendous task, dear friends--a mammoth task.

Within forty minutes her head was covered with tiny, close-lying curls that made her look wonderfully like a truant schoolboy. She looked at her reflection in the mirror long, carefully, and critically.

"If Jim doesn't kill me," she said to herself, "before he takes a second look at me, he'll say I look like a Coney Island chorus girl. But what could I do--oh! what could I do with a dollar and eighty- seven cents?"

At 7 o'clock the coffee was made and the frying-pan was on the back of the stove hot and ready to cook the chops.

Jim was never late. Della doubled the fob chain in her hand and sat on the corner of the table near the door that he always entered. Then she heard his step on the stair away down on the first flight, and she turned white for just a moment. She had a habit for saying little silent prayer about the simplest everyday things, and now she whispered: "Please God, make him think I am still pretty."

The door opened and Jim stepped in and closed it. He looked thin and very serious. Poor fellow, he was only twenty-two--and to be burdened with a family! He needed a new overcoat and he was without gloves.

Jim stopped inside the door, as immovable as a setter at the scent of quail. His eyes were fixed upon Della, and there was an expression in them that she could not read, and it terrified her. It was not anger, nor surprise, nor disapproval, nor horror, nor any of the sentiments that she had been prepared for. He simply stared at her fixedly with that peculiar expression on his face.

Della wriggled off the table and went for him.

"Jim, darling," she cried, "don't look at me that way. I had my hair cut off and sold because I couldn't have lived through Christmas without giving you a present. It'll grow out again--you won't mind, will you? I just had to do it. My hair grows awfully fast. Say `Merry Christmas!' Jim, and let's be happy. You don't know what a nice-- what a beautiful, nice gift I've got for you."

"You've cut off your hair?" asked Jim, laboriously, as if he had not arrived at that patent fact yet even after the hardest mental labor.

"Cut it off and sold it," said Della. "Don't you like me just as well, anyhow? I'm me without my hair, ain't I?"

Jim looked about the room curiously.

"You say your hair is gone?" he said, with an air almost of idiocy.

"You needn't look for it," said Della. "It's sold, I tell you--sold and gone, too. It's Christmas Eve, boy. Be good to me, for it went for you. Maybe the hairs of my head were numbered," she went on with sudden serious sweetness, "but nobody could ever count my love for you. Shall I put the chops on, Jim?"

Out of his trance Jim seemed quickly to wake. He enfolded his Della. For ten seconds let us regard with discreet scrutiny some inconsequential object in the other direction. Eight dollars a week or a million a year--what is the difference? A mathematician or a wit would give you the wrong answer. The magi brought valuable gifts, but that was not among them. This dark assertion will be illuminated later on.

Jim drew a package from his overcoat pocket and threw it upon the table.

"Don't make any mistake, Dell," he said, "about me. I don't think there's anything in the way of a haircut or a shave or a shampoo that could make me like my girl any less. But if you'll unwrap that package you may see why you had me going a while at first."

White fingers and nimble tore at the string and paper. And then an ecstatic scream of joy; and then, alas! a quick feminine change to hysterical tears and wails, necessitating the immediate employment of all the comforting powers of the lord of the flat.

For there lay The Combs--the set of combs, side and back, that Della had worshipped long in a Broadway window. Beautiful combs, pure tortoise shell, with jewelled rims--just the shade to wear in the beautiful vanished hair. They were expensive combs, she knew, and her heart had simply craved and yearned over them without the least hope of possession. And now, they were hers, but the tresses that should have adorned the coveted adornments were gone.

But she hugged them to her bosom, and at length she was able to look up with dim eyes and a smile and say: "My hair grows so fast, Jim!"

And them Della leaped up like a little singed cat and cried, "Oh, oh!"

Jim had not yet seen his beautiful present. She held it out to him eagerly upon her open palm. The dull precious metal seemed to flash with a reflection of her bright and ardent spirit.

"Isn't it a dandy, Jim? I hunted all over town to find it. You'll have to look at the time a hundred times a day now. Give me your watch. I want to see how it looks on it."

Instead of obeying, Jim tumbled down on the couch and put his hands under the back of his head and smiled.

"Dell," said he, "let's put our Christmas presents away and keep 'em a while. They're too nice to use just at present. I sold the watch to get the money to buy your combs. And now suppose you put the chops on."

The magi, as you know, were wise men--wonderfully wise men--who brought gifts to the Babe in the manger. They invented the art of giving Christmas presents. Being wise, their gifts were no doubt wise ones, possibly bearing the privilege of exchange in case of duplication. And here I have lamely related to you the uneventful chronicle of two foolish children in a flat who most unwisely sacrificed for each other the greatest treasures of their house. But in a last word to the wise of these days let it be said that of all who give gifts these two were the wisest. O all who give and receive gifts, such as they are wisest. Everywhere they are wisest. They are the magi.

I am now a Hogwarts Graduate!

2009-12-24T17:51:00.000-05:00

After about 6 months and 7 books later, I am officially done reading the Harry Potter series. It was good overall. I got into the world and lives of the characters and once I got used to the formula writing, it all meshed well together. My favourite book was The Half Blood Prince because story line it was very driven and intricate to the plot and I liked the little twist at the end of The Deathly Hallows (though sometimes the magical world was hard to figure out what was going on)....

But a.) I'm glad I now know the world of Harry Potter and can connect the cultural references and b.) that fact that it got be into reading again and I can focus on other books.

But you don't have to take my word for it....

A Kevin McAlister Christmas!

2009-12-24T01:56:00.000-05:00

I am having a "Home Alone" Kevin McAlister style Christmas. I've been house sitting/staying at my friends Jenn and Cara's place since I moved out of my apartment at the end of November. However, since the girls are back in FL and John and V decided to last minute go home to visit their families for the break, I am left alone in Los Angeles for my final and last Christmas/birthday here. Luckily my friends Emily and Nick are hosting a Christmas dinner party so I have someplace to be on that day.

Today I went food shopping to prep for Christmas Eve dinner and Christmas breakfast - keeping the Larkin family tradition as much alive as possible.

Although I do not have a fondue pot, I will have my rib eye steak for dinner (and maybe last minute decide to pick up a lobster tail for the heck of it). I am TiVoing The Christmas Story when it first airs and then other Christmas themed movies as well to last me thru the night.

I may even perhaps head to midnight mass if the Holy Spirit moves me. I would like to....I haven't been to church in a year so it would be a nice thing to do (per the usual Catholic guilt).

Christmas morning breakfast will consist of eggs benedict (mmm) and then the early dinner and Nick and Emily's where apparently there will be a 7 course meal so I will bright my A-game appetite.

And then of course there is always my birthday (aka Boxing Day, aka Kwanzaa), the most anticlimactic event ever in the past but this year I will take things in my own hand and do some shopping for myself and perhaps scrounge up some people to go dancing /drinking that night. I am thinking a lovely birthday lunch of KFC I already spotted that Ralph's sells slices of the yummy chocolate cake that Cheesecake Factory has so that may be my birthday cake for the day. We shall see.....

I'll attempt to finish Harry Potter so I can start new books in the new year and while I am in Africa...also finalize my research project and just make sure I am set to go to Africa and not wait till the last minute rush.

The year has winded down....changes are in store. How crazy that it all suddenly hits at once.

Lady Gaga: I've Had A Little Bit Too Much

2009-12-24T00:19:00.000-05:00

John, V, and I (and special guest Sheva and Erik) went to the Lady Gaga concert December 22, 2009. This was the 3 us' 3rd Lady Gaga concert.

We saw her once right before her album came out at Tigerheat, then at the Wiltern in the early spring, and now the Nokia Theatre. The venus keep getting bigger!

The concert was amazing. Great energy and Gaga KILLED it. She has revolutionized pop music, embraced the gays, created memorable music, performs live, can play the piano, and brings all her energy to her show, and has great sustainability (more so than I can say about 90% of the music pop acts these days....)

Here are some clips I found that best shows her live performance style.

Asher Roth - very classy!

2009-12-21T17:25:00.001-05:00

Asher Roth is a guilty pleasure of mine (something about the white boy rapper) but his statement he issued really scores high in my book:

This weekend, rumors swirled that Asher Roth was a homosexual. Clearing the air, Ash released this statement:

I hate to disappoint and take away the entertainment of it all but I am straight, not gay. It’s disheartening to know such “news” on someone’s personal life can be portrayed as fact with no viable source. This, to me, is an opportunity to expose our vulnerability to lies and manipulation through unprofessional and irresponsible news outlets, in which people consider TRUTH. Further, someone’s sexual orientation should NEVER be big news, as it delivers a troubling message to children that they can’t be themselves without fear of judgment. Race, creed, and sexual persuasion should not just be tolerated but understood and accepted. It’s extremely disappointing that this topic would be used with the intention of being hurtful. We are near 2010….2010!! Yet race, sex and religion still play a major role in a hate driven society. For the love of the future and humanity….let’s wake up.

Very classy!

Source

US Secretary of State Hilary Clinton responds to the Anti Homosexuality Bill in Uganda

2009-12-18T02:19:00.000-05:00

US Secretary of State Hilary Clinton responds to an audience question about the US response to the Anti-Homosexuality bill pending in Uganda. The question followed a foreign policy address at Georgetown University.

Guilty Pleasure 2009

2009-12-17T18:38:00.000-05:00

I can't get enough!

God Hates Corduroy Skirts!

2009-12-01T01:04:00.001-05:00

What a fun little story:

Chris Pesto, a junior at Syracuse University in New York, was annoyed by a fundamentalist Christian bigot holding up an anti-gay sign—"Homosexuality Is a Sin"—on his campus last week. So he took action:

This woman was wearing an ankle-length corduroy skirt, which, as we all know, is a fashion nono. So, in order to make her feel uncomfortable, I stood next to her and held a sign that said "Corduroy Skirts Are a Sin"! I don’t think I have ever drawn so much attention in my life. So many people asked to take a picture with me, I got laughs, high fives and there were the few that even cursed off the woman standing behind me. As I drew interest to what was going on with myself and the woman with the hateful sign, I started to draw a crowd that stood with me in support. Before I knew it I had 100+ people holding signs for gay rights asking people to honk their horns to support. I never expected anybody to come stand by me and support and I appreciate it so much that everyone came! It meant so much and it proved to those ignorant people that we aren’t afraid, and we will put up a fight.

Corduroy Skirts are a Sin

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Meet Napoleon!

2009-11-30T23:27:00.000-05:00

Virgin America

2009-11-24T12:05:00.001-05:00

Currently flying into San Fran
what a fun awesome airline
visiting the family...catching up on the WWW
doing work at the same time
i love the convenience of it all

stay tuned!

Pre-Thanksgiving

2009-11-24T03:25:00.001-05:00

Heading off to San Fran for the week to visit my mom's side of the family (Uncle and cousins) which I haven't seen in like 5 years so this should be fun. Since I am leaving California soon, I might as well take advantage. Gonna crash with Mark and Wing as well so I can have fun in the city.

After almost a year of not having a digital camera, finally bought one today so expect photos finally. I need to document stuff and since I'll be going to Africa, it was a good investment. Also bought a cool external drive the size of my ipod/iphone and almost as slim which will replace the bulky one I had. It was an investment too, as I need to travel with all my music/videos/etc - back up on the go.

This is my first time packing as light as possible. Flying Virgin American. Free wireless. A week in the cold northern cali weather will do me good. Excited things are taking off.

Working from home now so I can work anywhere.

Life is good.

OFFICIAL PRESS RELEASE

2009-11-17T01:40:00.001-05:00

Christopher Larkin Leaving Los Angeles; Africa and then Tampa Bound in 2010

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

(Los Angeles, CA - November 17, 2009) Wishing to address the rumours and speculation that has been setting the internet buzzing in recent weeks, Christopher Larkin (“Larkin” or “Topher” as referred to by those who know him in various stages of life) is officially announcing that he will be departing Los Angeles in early 2010.

As it may come a shock to those who viewed him as the epitome of LA or thought he was a West Coaster for life, in recent months Topher has been searching for a new calling in life and was determined to do something more on an international humanitarian scale. Recently, he applied to an Educational Fellowship Program in Ghana through Blue Kitabu, an organization that will work with local the university and villages to help construct vital school infrastructure by providing educational teaching models to help reduce or eliminate aid dependence.

Departing on January 3rd and returning to Los Angeles on January 22nd, this 3 week volunteer program/fellowship will gain Topher the hands-on humanitarian volunteer and work experience he hopes will help further his aspirations of working with other world organizations such as the United Nations, the US State Department as a Foreign Service Officer, UNICEF, and US AID or pursue Grad work in International Relations and Political Science. In regions that have infrastructure, but untrained teachers, Topher and fellow volunteers will work with existing educators to improve their teaching effectiveness as well as assisting children who are orphaned, making sure firstly that their basic needs are met and secondly that they are able to attend and succeed in school. His proposed research topic will combine his background in theatre and communications, hoping to use the art of storytelling as an effective teaching tool for both in classroom and global awareness. Additionally, Topher will also be returning to Ghana in June to do a 1 month program research as well.

Upon his return to the States, in early February 2010, his official exit from Los Angeles will be marked by sadness and excitement. “After spending six years in Los Angeles, it is time for me to move onto other adventures. I want to be closer to my family in Tampa and detox from LA for a while. I have friends getting married and having kids and I looked at myself to see what my next path will be and realized I have more of a marking to leave in this world.” Larkin states. “Being able to have the pleasure to work remotely, I still have an income yet am free to pursue other projects and relax and save money. Although I will be gone, I hopefully will never be forgotten. I can officially cross LA off the list of places I’ve wanted to live and move on elsewhere in the US or even the world.”

As of this release, an official going away party is currently being planned in Los Angeles and will be announced shortly via personal email invitations. Meanwhile, all those who would like to spend some one on one time before Topher officially departs LA should contact him directly at topher.larkin@gmail.com before his time gets booked.

For more information on Blue Kitabu, please visit http://bluekitabu.org/ and for more up to the date news and announcements, please visit http://topherlarkin.blogspot.com or via Facebook.

Changes

2009-11-16T01:53:00.001-05:00

Hey all!

Exciting changes are in store as life is taking unexpected but promising turns. I'll keep everyone posted in the next few days and reveal all my major plans and life updates.

Thanks for following.

-Larkin

Precious!

2009-11-08T01:01:00.000-05:00

Going to see Precious tomorrow. I turned it into a huge event amongst my friends. I mean, seriously. When was a last time you went out in a large group to see a movie?

The Real Reason Why I Hate Halloween

2009-10-29T18:09:00.000-04:00

Some people ask why I am the Ebenezer Scrooge of Halloween. Here is my reply:

For some reason, Halloween was always the least of my favourite holidays. I never quite understood the big deal of dressing up and going door to door. I guess I was always deprived as a child or don’t really remember making it such a big deal. I don’t recall my parents ever taking us trick or treating. We would tag along with the neighborhood friends for the night and then when I hit middle school, it was all about finding which houses in the neighborhood passed out the king sized chocolate bars. There was never a medium between the festivities of scariness and the thrill of collecting candy from strangers. In fact, I kind of enjoyed staying home and passing out the candy versus going out.

One memory that I do recall in which my father (of all people) actively participated in hanging around the porch of our house and scaring the trick or treaters – including me – probably when I was in kindergarten or 1st grade. I think he saved all his energy for when I would return back home and he would jump out of the bushes for his one final scare.

Then we moved to Europe for two years and the culture of “Halloween” was much different which I think contributed to the aspect that I missed a good period of my life where Halloween would have been fun as a child. Trying to maintain one’s “American roots” while in Europe was hard to adjust to, so we just kind of forgot about the holidays.

But more importantly, deep psychological scar of Halloween comes from a different reason, and thus the story begins.

From my earliest memories, I recalled the thrill of turning a pillowcase into my sack for gathering candy from strangers. Anticipating the joys of coming home from an hour of ransacking the neighborhood and after an adult inspects of the goods, one starts the usual bartering system and throw out the unwanted candy (sometimes bad flavoured tootsie rolls, the taffys, the “cheap poor people’s” candy, Charleston chews – you know what they are…) while keeping the best for your own stash.

The rule of the Larkin household was that we were to be able to have our candy sorted into two piles: the “current ready to eat for a week” pile and then a pile (usually the good candy) that my brother and I were suppose to donate to the local children’s hospital because, as my parents explained, sick children couldn’t go trick or treating so our candy was being donated to them and would go to a good cause. Then we would have week to eat the rest of our candy (which was rationed out by my parents) and then the rest of would donated to the hospital as well.

It was a great idea and in the pains staking Sophie’s Choices of what candy would go in the sick children’s pile versus what to keep, the sick kid’s usually got all the top choices of chocolates while I would take a few for myself, often feeling guilty a bit if I decided to keep good quality candy for myself and think of the children who was missing out on it.

This tradition continued for a few years from that moment on. As the week drawn to a close, knowing that I would say good-bye to my stash of candy but also feeling somewhat good about myself that I was helping out the sick hospital kids, picturing kids with tubes in their noses or bald heads smiling from the candy that our family donated and never questioning which hospital we anonoymously had donated our candy to,

It wasn’t until a few years later, a few days after the last week when we were to give up our stash for the greater cause, when somehow hanging in my parent’s room that I discover underneath their bed was the real Children's Hospital, hidden a familiar pillow case stash that was filled with the top quality candy that I had “donated” to.

Autumn in Los Angeles

2009-10-02T14:34:00.000-04:00

There has been a slight shift in weather, an autumn tease if you will. With that comes change. It's starting to be my favourite season, and I am excited to head to Boston in a few days for my friend's wedding as well as explore the city that has become like a 2nd home to me.

It's time to walk thru the Boston Commons with a pumpkin spiced latte and a scarf around my neck and smell the crisp autumn smokey air and have some Dunkin Donuts coffee and shuffle my legs thru the dead leaves.

Moving on

2009-09-22T03:51:00.000-04:00

I feel like a fool for thinking we'd end up back together or that there will be sparks how it was before. But I guess the chapter can finally close on that relationship and we both can move on. R can focus on rebuilding his new relationship and work on the things that he needed to work on in the first place, and I can stop thinking that we'll become something more....

Whitney Houston "I Look To You" performance

2009-09-05T12:53:00.000-04:00

I know people will say that her voice isn't there. But this song is the emotional powerhouse that the performance garners. It's great when singers can interpret music and make it so personal (as we all know what it is about). And to all the haters out there, at least this was a live and raw performance, unlike other "singers" who couldn't even perform this great on their best day.

Too Late To Apologize

2009-09-05T12:48:00.000-04:00

I realize my Twittering updates have almost replaced my usual blogging - that or I have posted videos and not enough thoughts. Currently I am writing an epic entry (or maybe that is to have you on pins and needles). Regardless, a lot of changes are in store for me and I'll discuss and sort it out shortly. But at least with my Twittering you see that I am alive and out there, and it captures some random thoughts and happenings that can only occur in my life.

I'll let you know how it all goes.

In the meantime - enjoy!

Sam Tsui and Kurt Hugo - YOUTUBE THEM NOW

2009-08-12T02:28:00.001-04:00

I thought I had posted this but I guess I didn't. Anyways, I found this video on YoutTube and I wanted to share it. It's absolutely brilliant.

These are the websites of the artists:

www.myspace.com/SamTsui
www.myspace.com/KurtHugo

Compass

2009-07-30T18:00:00.001-04:00

Sometimes I dream about being a sailor, living the life on the rough seas, beneath a sun that beats down constantly on met yet to cool off I can just jump in the water and feel free. I don't have to worry about the world because I am part of it.

I want to go to different ports all over the world. Talk to the citizens and know what it is like to be them for a few days. Experience the wold thru other's eyes has always been my goal and something I've proud myself when I have traveled.

Sometimes I don't know where the road will lead. But lately I hope that whatever happens, the adventure is worth it. I just need a little guidance in the right direction - I'm like a compass spinning to find the path and waiting for things to settle and stop so I have a clear notion of where to even begin.

So with that, I jump start way earlier than my usual fall plans

and attempt to begin again and rediscover my drive

Photobooth Charade

2009-07-28T02:32:00.001-04:00

V and I went to a local art fundraiser in downtown LA Saturday night . There was a photographer taking photos, but you had to act them out via charades from a paper with a written down plot line.

Here's what we did:

Caption:

"You are replacing Tony the Tiger as the new Frosted Flakes mascot"

Angelina Jolie in Iraq

2009-07-27T17:08:00.001-04:00

Whitney Houston "I Look To You"

2009-07-27T03:34:00.000-04:00

YES YES YES YES beautiful song!

Whitney Houston "I Didn't Know My Own Strength"

2009-07-09T14:37:00.000-04:00

Whitney's new single has leaked and it is FA-BU-LOUS! (in Oprah voice, for those that know what it means)

Lost touch with my soul
I had no where to turn
I had no where to go
Lost sight of my dream,
Thought it would be the end of me
I thought I’d never make it through
I had no hope to hold on to,
I thought I would break

I didn’t know my own strength
And I crashed down, and I tumbled
But I did not crumble
I got through all the pain
I didn’t know my own strength
Survived my darkest hour
My faith kept me alive
I picked myself back up
Hold my head up high
I was not built to break
I didn’t know my own strength

Found hope in my heart,
I found the light to life
My way out of the dark
Found all that I need
Here inside of me
I thought I’d never find my way
I thought I’d never lift that weight
I thought I would break

I didn’t know my own strength
And I crashed down, and I tumbled
But I did not crumble
I got through all the pain
I didn’t know my own strength
Survived my darkest hour
My faith kept me alive
I picked myself back up
Hold my head up high
I was not built to break
I didn’t know my own strength

There were so many times I
Wondered how I’d get through the night I
Thought took all I could take

I didn’t know my own strength
And I crashed down, and I tumbled
But I did not crumble
I got through all the pain
I didn’t know my own strength
Survived my darkest hour
My faith kept me alive
I picked myself back up
Hold my head up high
I was not built to break
I didn’t know my own strength

Toto's "Africa" by the Perpetuum Jazzile

2009-07-02T17:31:00.001-04:00

With simulated rain!!!

Angelina Jolie on World Refugee Day

2009-06-22T14:02:00.001-04:00

Rafa out of Wimbledon :(

2009-06-19T19:15:00.000-04:00

Rafa out of Wimbledon :(

WIMBLEDON Date: 22 June - 5 July Coverage: BBC One, BBC Two, BBC HD, Red Button, website streaming (UK only) and text commentary, 5 Live, 5 Live Sports Extra, BBC iPlayer

World number one Rafael Nadal will not defend his Wimbledon men's singles crown because of a knee injury.

Nadal, struggling with tendinitis, tested out his fitness in exhibition matches on Thursday and Friday, but was unhappy with the state of his knee.

"Not to play Wimbledon is one of the toughest decisions in my career," said the 23-year-old Mallorcan.

Nadal is the first champion not to defend his SW19 crown since Goran Ivanisevic missed the event in 2002.

"I've played with some problems in my knees for a few months but I always felt I'd try and try," added Nadal. "You don't know what your limit is, but I have now reached the limit."

But the world number one insisted the tendinitis was not career threatening.

"It's not a chronic problem, I can recover for sure," said Nadal. "I'm going to try very hard to come back and when I come back I'm going to come back with 100% mentality because when I play now, I was thinking more about the knee.

"I'm 23 and I hope to have a long career and come back next year - no one is more disappointed than me and the Wimbledon crowd must understand I tried my best."

Nadal, the four-time French Open champion, had been drawn to play Arnaud Clement at Wimbledon on Monday.

The Mallorcan was forced to withdraw from last week's tournament at Queen's Club with knee trouble and underwent intense rehabilitation in Barcelona.

He was diagnosed with tendinitis in both quadriceps tendons as well as a small amount of fluid on the kneecaps.

The 23-year-old looked to be on the mend after practising with Andy Murray at the All England Club on Wednesday, but the following day the Spaniard seemed troubled throughout his 80-minute exhibition encounter with Lleyton Hewitt, losing in two sets to the Australian.

Nadal was determined not to concede defeat in his fight to be ready for Wimbledon and played a second exhibition match at Hurlingham against Stanislas Wawrinka on Friday.

But two hours after losing to Olympic doubles champion Wawrinka, Nadal made public his decision to pull out of Wimbledon.

"I didn't feel terrible but I was not at my best," said Nadal, referring to his fitness levels against Wawrinka.

Nadal, who beat Roger Federer in a classic final in 2008, had previously stated he would not defend his Wimbledon crown if he was not 100% fit.

Anderson Cooper + Angelina Jolie

2009-06-19T12:57:00.000-04:00

This would be the hottest political/humanitarian meeting of the minds menage a trois ever!

UNHCR World Refugee Day

2009-06-15T18:45:00.000-04:00

Saturday June 20th

UNHCR website

Tony Award Performances

2009-06-08T15:00:00.000-04:00

The performance of Next to Normal was a great number and peaked my interest. I didn't know anything about it. Alice Ripley (a Broadway regular) blew the house down

The cast of Hair stole the show with their energy and rousing title song number

Kelly Clarkson - Already Gone / Beyonce's Halo + Nick Pitera mash up

2009-06-05T18:55:00.000-04:00

This is Kelly's new single "Already Gone". It has been one of my favourite songs on the album. I guess it is written by the same person who did Beyonce's Halo so the similarities are the same.

Beyonce Halo:

And for a real treat, YouTube internet sensation Nick Pitera did a mash up that compares the two songs. Check out his other videos. Yes he can really sing that high...kinda freaky but in a good way.

The Case Against Omar al Bashir

2009-06-05T13:52:00.000-04:00

Love Angelina. Love the UN.

The Case Against Omar al Bashir

A Message from Hillary Clinton and the US Department of State

2009-06-01T16:13:00.001-04:00

In Recognition of Gay and Lesbian Pride Month 2009
Hillary Rodham Clinton
Secretary of State
Washington, DC
June 1, 2009

Forty years ago this month, the gay rights movement began with the Stonewall riots in New York City, as gays and lesbians demanded an end to the persecution they had long endured. Now, after decades of hard work, the fight has grown into a global movement to achieve a world in which all people live free from violence and fear, regardless of their sexual orientation or gender identity.

In honor of Gay and Lesbian Pride Month and on behalf of the State Department, I extend our appreciation to the global LGBT community for its courage and determination during the past 40 years, and I offer our support for the significant work that still lies ahead.

At the State Department and throughout the Administration, we are grateful for our lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender employees in Washington and around the world. They and their families make many sacrifices to serve our nation. Their contributions are vital to our efforts to establish stability, prosperity and peace worldwide.

Human rights are at the heart of those efforts. Gays and lesbians in many parts of the world live under constant threat of arrest, violence, even torture. The persecution of gays and lesbians is a violation of human rights and an affront to human decency, and it must end. As Secretary of State, I will advance a comprehensive human rights agenda that includes the elimination of violence and discrimination against people based on sexual orientation or gender identity.

Though the road to full equality for LGBT Americans is long, the example set by those fighting for equal rights in the United States gives hope to men and women around the world who yearn for a better future for themselves and their loved ones.
This June, let us recommit ourselves to achieving a world in which all people can live in safety and freedom, no matter who they are or whom they love.

Gay couples say being married really matters - The Boston Globe

2009-05-26T15:11:00.001-04:00

Gay couples say being married really matters - The Boston Globe

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Day of Decision

2009-05-26T15:05:00.001-04:00

Low Strung - Don't Stop Believin'

2009-05-21T18:20:00.000-04:00

We all know how much I love string instruments, especially the cello. So what better than Journey via strings. Check out Low Strung's version of a classic.

www.lowstrung.net

Glee - Don't Stop Believin'

2009-05-19T14:32:00.000-04:00

Don't Stop Believing is a really great song in general, so any cover of it no matter what always is fun. I'm excited to see the premise of this show:

Dance Party!

2009-05-16T16:03:00.000-04:00

Asher Roth

2009-05-15T11:39:00.000-04:00

I MIGHT have a slight crush on him. The jury is still debating though. Check out his album "Asleep in the Bread Aisle". I particularly like the song "Fallin". Asher is the one wearing the hoodie over his head.

Be Italian!

2009-05-14T16:05:00.001-04:00

NINE!

President Obama's ASU Graduation Commencement Speech

2009-05-14T13:48:00.001-04:00

President Obama's ASU Graduation Commencement Speech

Thank you, President Crow, for that generous introduction, and for your inspired leadership here at ASU. And I want to thank the entire ASU community for the honor of attaching my name to a scholarship program that will help open the doors of higher education to students from every background. That is the core mission of this school; it is a core mission of my presidency; and I hope this program will serve as a model for universities across this country.

Now, before I begin, I'd like to clear the air about that little controversy everyone was talking about a few weeks back. I have to tell you, I really thought it was much ado about nothing, although I think we all learned an important lesson. I learned to never again pick another team over the Sun Devils in my NCAA bracket. And your university President and Board of Regents will soon learn all about being audited by the IRS.

In all seriousness, I come here not to dispute the suggestion that I haven't yet achieved enough in my life. I come to embrace it; to heartily concur; to affirm that one's title, even a title like President, says very little about how well one's life has been led - and that no matter how much you've done, or how successful you've been, there's always more to do, more to learn, more to achieve.

And I want to say to you today, graduates, that despite having achieved a remarkable milestone, one that you and your families are rightfully proud of, you too cannot rest on your laurels. Your body of work is yet to come.

Now, some graduating classes have marched into this stadium in easy times - times of peace and stability when we call on our graduates to simply keep things going, and not screw it up. Other classes have received their diplomas in times of trial and upheaval, when the very foundations of our lives have been shaken, the old ideas and institutions have crumbled, and a new generation is called on to remake the world.

It should be clear by now the category into which all of you fall. For we gather here tonight in times of extraordinary difficulty, for the nation and the world. The economy remains in the midst of a historic recession, the result, in part, of greed and irresponsibility that rippled out from Wall Street and Washington, as we spent beyond our means and failed to make hard choices. We are engaged in two wars and a struggle against terrorism. The threats of climate change, nuclear proliferation, and pandemic defy national boundaries and easy solutions.

For many of you, these challenges are felt in more personal terms. Perhaps you're still looking for a job - or struggling to figure out what career path makes sense in this economy. Maybe you've got student loans, or credit card debts, and are wondering how you'll ever pay them off. Maybe you've got a family to raise, and are wondering how you'll ensure that your kids have the same opportunities you've had to get an education and pursue their dreams.

In the face of these challenges, it may be tempting to fall back on the formulas for success that have dominated these recent years. Many of you have been taught to chase after the usual brass rings: being on this "who's who" list or that top 100 list; how much money you make and how big your corner office is; whether you have a fancy enough title or a nice enough car.

You can take that road - and it may work for some of you. But at this difficult time, let me suggest that such an approach won't get you where you want to go; that in fact, the elevation of appearance over substance, celebrity over character, short-term gain over lasting achievement is precisely what your generation needs to help end.

I want to highlight two main problems with that old approach. First, it distracts you from what is truly important, and may lead you to compromise your values, principles and commitments. Think about it. It's in chasing titles and status - in worrying about the next election rather than the national interest and the interests of those they represent - that politicians so often lose their way in Washington. It was in pursuit of gaudy short-term profits, and the bonuses that come with them, that so many folks lost their way on Wall Street.

The leaders we revere, the businesses that last - they are not the result of narrow pursuit of popularity or personal advancement, but of devotion to some bigger purpose - the preservation of the Union or the determination to lift a country out of depression; the creation of a quality product or a commitment to your customers, your workers, your shareholders and your community.

The trappings of success may be a by-product of this larger mission, but they can't be the central thing. Just ask Bernie Madoff.

The second problem with the old approach is that a relentless focus on the outward markers of success all too often leads to complacency. We too often let them serve as indications that we're doing well, even though something inside us tells us that we're not doing our best; that we are shrinking from, rather than rising to, the challenges of the age. And the thing is, in this new, hyper-competitive age, you cannot afford to be complacent.

That is true in whatever profession you choose. Professors might earn the distinction of tenure, but that doesn't guarantee that they'll keep putting in the long hours and late nights - and have the passion and drive - to be great educators. It's true in your personal life as well. Being a parent isn't just a matter of paying the bills and doing the bare minimum - it's not bringing a child into the world that matters, but the acts of love and sacrifice it takes to raise that child. It can happen to presidents too: Abraham Lincoln and Millard Fillmore had the very same title, but their tenure in office - and their legacy - could not be more different.

And that's not just true for individuals - it is also true for this nation. In recent years, in many ways, we've become enamored with our own success - lulled into complacency by our own achievements.

We've become accustomed to the title of "military super-power," forgetting the qualities that earned us that title - not just a build-up of arms, or accumulation of victories, but the Marshall Plan, the Peace Corps, our commitment to working with other nations to pursue the ideals of opportunity, equality and freedom that have made us who we are.

We've become accustomed to our economic dominance in the world, forgetting that it wasn't reckless deals and get-rich-quick schemes that got us there; but hard work and smart ideas -quality products and wise investments. So we started taking shortcuts. We started living on credit, instead of building up savings. We saw businesses focus more on rebranding and repackaging than innovating and developing new ideas and products that improve our lives.

All the while, the rest of the world has grown hungrier and more restless - in constant motion to build and discover - not content with where they are right now, determined to strive for more.

So graduates, it is now abundantly clear that we need to start doing things a little differently. In your own lives, you'll need to continuously adapt to a continuously changing economy: to have more than one job or career over the course of your life; to keep gaining new skills - possibly even new degrees; and to keep taking risks as new opportunities arise.

And as a nation, we'll need a fundamental change of perspective and attitude. It is clear that we need to build a new foundation - a stronger foundation - for our economy and our prosperity, rethinking how we educate our children, and care for our sick, and treat our environment.

Many of our current challenges are unprecedented. There are no standard remedies, or go-to fixes this time around.

That is why we are going to need your help. We'll need young people like you to step up. We need your daring and your enthusiasm and your energy.

And let me be clear, when I say "young," I'm not just referring to the date on your birth certificate. I'm talking about an approach to life - a quality of mind and heart.

A willingness to follow your passions, regardless of whether they lead to fortune and fame. A willingness to question conventional wisdom and rethink the old dogmas. A lack of regard for all the traditional markers of status and prestige - and a commitment instead to doing what is meaningful to you, what helps others, what makes a difference in this world.

That's the spirit that led a band of patriots not much older than you to take on an empire. It's what drove young pioneers west, and young women to reach for the ballot; what inspired a 30 year-old escaped slave to run an underground railroad to freedom, and a 26 year-old preacher to lead a bus boycott for justice. It's what led firefighters and police officers in the prime of their lives up the stairs of those burning towers; and young people across this country to drop what they were doing and come to the aid of a flooded New Orleans. It's what led two guys in a garage - named Hewlett and Packard - to form a company that would change the way we live and work; and what led scientists in laboratories, and novelists in coffee shops to labor in obscurity until they finally succeeded in changing the way we see the world.

That is the great American story: young people just like you, following their passions, determined to meet the times on their own terms. They weren't doing it for the money. Their titles weren't fancy - ex-slave, minister, student, citizen. But they changed the course of history - and so can you.

With a degree from this university, you have everything you need to get started. Did you study business? Why not help our struggling non-profits find better, more effective ways to serve folks in need. Nursing? Understaffed clinics and hospitals across this country are desperate for your help. Education? Teach in a high-need school; give a chance to kids we can't afford to give up on - prepare them to compete for any job anywhere in the world. Engineering? Help us lead a green revolution, developing new sources of clean energy that will power our economy and preserve our planet.

Or you can make your mark in smaller, more individual ways. That's what so many of you have already done during your time here at ASU - tutoring children; registering voters; doing your own small part to fight hunger and homelessness, AIDS and cancer. I think one student said it best when she spoke about her senior engineering project building medical devices for people with disabilities in a village in Africa. Her professor showed a video of the folks they'd be helping, and she said, "When we saw the people on the videos, we began to feel a connection to them. It made us want to be successful for them."

That's a good motto for all of us - find someone to be successful for. Rise to their hopes and their needs. As you think about life after graduation, as you look in the mirror tonight, you may see somebody with no idea what to do with their life. But a troubled child might look at you and see a mentor. A homebound senior citizen might see a lifeline. The folks at your local homeless shelter might see a friend. None of them care how much money is in your bank account, or whether you're important at work, or famous around town - they just know that you're someone who cares, someone who makes a difference in their lives.

That is what building a body of work is all about - it's about the daily labor, the many individual acts, the choices large and small that add up to a lasting legacy. It's about not being satisfied with the latest achievement, the latest gold star - because one thing I know about a body of work is that it's never finished. It's cumulative; it deepens and expands with each day that you give your best, and give back, and contribute to the life of this nation. You may have set-backs, and you may have failures, but you're not done - not by a longshot.

Just look to history. Thomas Paine was a failed corset maker, a failed teacher, and a failed tax collector before he made his mark on history with a little book called Common Sense that helped ignite a revolution. Julia Child didn't publish her first cookbook until she was almost fifty, and Colonel Sanders didn't open up his first Kentucky Fried Chicken until he was in his sixties. Winston Churchill was dismissed as little more than a has-been, who enjoyed scotch just a bit too much, before he took over as Prime Minister and saw Great Britain through its finest hour. And no one thought a former football player stocking shelves at the local supermarket would return to the game he loved, become a Super Bowl MVP, and then come here to Arizona and lead your Cardinals to their first Super Bowl.

Each of them, at one point in their life, didn't have any title or much status to speak of. But they had a passion, a commitment to following that passion wherever it would lead, and to working hard every step along the way.

And that's not just how you'll ensure that your own life is well-lived. It's how you'll make a difference in the life of this nation. I talked earlier about the selfishness and irresponsibility on Wall Street and Washington that rippled out and led to the problems we face today. I talked about the focus on outward markers of success that can lead us astray.

But here's the thing, graduates: it works the other way around too. Acts of sacrifice and decency without regard to what's in it for you - those also create ripple effects - ones that lift up families and communities; that spread opportunity and boost our economy; that reach folks in the forgotten corners of the world who, in committed young people like you, see the true face of America: our strength, our goodness, the enduring power of our ideals.

I know starting your careers in troubled times is a challenge. But it is also a privilege.
Because it is moments like these that force us to try harder, to dig deeper, to discover gifts we never knew we had - to find the greatness that lies within each of us. So don't ever shy away from that endeavor. Don't ever stop adding to your body of work. I can promise that you will be the better for that continued effort, as will this nation that we all love.

Congratulations on your graduation, and Godspeed on the road

Music

2009-05-08T17:35:00.001-04:00

I think anyone who really know me well knows that the cello makes me weak in the knees. This is pure example why.

Text From Last Night

2009-05-08T16:35:00.000-04:00

This is the best website I have come across in a while

Text From Last Night

Equality

2009-05-06T23:20:00.001-04:00

"I have come to believe that this is a question of fairness and of equal protection under the law, and that a civil union is not equal to civil marriage"

-Gov. John Balducci (D), ME

Phone Rings Door Chimes In Comes Company...

2009-05-01T14:28:00.000-04:00

I've really been investing myself in this show for some reason. I think it's because I can start to relate to the theme and the character of Bobby in some way. I mean, what better example of emotional unavailability that this!

Marry Me A Little

Being Alive

I never realized the complete shift in Being Alive where to me, it starts off as negative comment about Bobby not wanting "someone to hold him too close and deep" but then halfway thru he realizes that yes, that is what he wants and that there are positive aspects to relationships. And it's more of a hunger and desire to feel that way - the painful yearning that you have so much to give but no one to share it with.

In fact, isn't that we all want in the end.

April Showers....

2009-04-29T15:06:00.000-04:00

It was the annual Notre Dame Academy High School reunion for my mom’s friends this weekend. She couldn’t make it this year so I served as her proxy at dinner (and I also enjoy my mom’s friend’s company so I was looking forward hanging out with them) down at Harriet’s in Westchester. I caught up with the ladies, saw Harriet’s grandchildren and played with them, I Skyped my mom in so she could talk to her friends as they reminisced about the good old days and how they used to discuss one day in the future there would be such things as video phones and here they were using it. It was nice to be surrounded by “family” and have quality time with people older than me that I can relate to.

I know it sounds silly but I realized how many people I have behind my back rooting for me to succeed. I am sure everyone does but sometimes you need reminders and for me to share about what I wanted to do in life and get affirmation and support from everyone I talked to, it really made me want to succeed and push myself to achieve my dreams. It also makes me realize that I want to stuff in life that won’t disappoint anyone. Of course everything I do is based on my own decisions and happiness but at the same time I also want to have a purpose in doing it for other people too. I want to make others proud and, without sounding so cliché and after school movie, I just want to be the best and strive for greatness.

In other news, Erik and I saw Disney’s Earth this weekend in honour of Earth Day. It was cute and the appeal was the small animal show before hand. Apparently I should have taken a child as an accessory for the night, as we were surrounded by children. I’m starting to watch too many nature/science shows now cuz I can recognize footages recycled in other stuff (i.e. Disney’s Earth and Planet Earth specials). Next year movie theme is Oceans so I am super excited about that one!

I’ve been going on several date with, who I have dubbed, “the European”. It’s been going nicely and I’ve decided to take the much more relaxed approached to dating with “it is what it is” ease and not the “OMG this is the one I want to be with forever” mentality, as that has been the case in recent moments. Speaking of ex-es, I had a really vengeful and hateful dream about R. The dream even shocked me as far as my vindictive nature and what I am capable of when unleashed. But I also felt sorry in the dream. Remorseful that my actions caused things and I think it was my way to just express my anger towards the situation and find a way to move on. I thought R and I could be friends but I don’t think it is possible. I tend to not be friends with the ex-es. And it’s no point to try to hang onto something or try to pretend to not have feelings when there obviously are there. And I will always judge R no matter what. And I’ll use that to my advantage whether it is positive or not.

I finished Da Vinci Code finally. It took me longer than Angels & Demons because I knew what was happening since I saw the movie which I then re-watched last night and realized that the movie really wasn’t that great and at times too silly (kinda like when you see a musical on screen and it doesn’t translate well).

Summer is around the corner. New adventures.

Speaking of musicals, I’ve been watching the 2006 Revival of Company on Netflix online and I’ve had the songs in my head. This is the opening number which holds a special place in my heart since I was in this group musical number for my friend’s HS directing project:

FSO Update!

2009-04-24T12:27:00.001-04:00

Dear FSOT Candidate:

Our records indicate that you have registered to take the Foreign Service Officer Test. The next test will be offered June 6-13, 2009.

An invitation to schedule your test seat will be issued soon by ACT, the contract test administrator, on a staggered schedule according to the career track you chose when you registered. You may not change your career track choice.

E-mail invitations to schedule a seat will be issued first to Management candidates beginning on April 27, then to Economic and Consular candidates on April 29, and finally to Political and Public Diplomacy candidates on May 5. After those dates, any candidate who registers before the deadline and receives an invitation to schedule a test seat may do so immediately.

Once you receive the scheduling invitation, you will be able to log in to your ACT account and review the available dates and times at all testing locations. We encourage you to schedule your seat promptly, as demand has increased greatly in recent months.

Thank you for your interest in the Foreign Service.

Sincerely,

The Board of Examiners for the U.S. Foreign Service

The Road Not Taken

2009-04-23T14:52:00.000-04:00

If I could do it all over again, I would. I should have studied history and really learned more about science/oceanography. I know it's not too late but at the same time it's such a process, which is why I am just having fun doing things on my own.

Ballona Wetlands Day!

2009-04-22T14:59:00.000-04:00

NEW PROJECT!!!!

So I came across this organization as I was perusing around seeing whats going on around town. Since I am seeing Disney's "Earth" movie in Saturday night I figured this would be a good collaboration. Besides, its' education!

FRIENDS OF BALLONA WETLAND

There are opportunities for photography, both for our website and publications. There are also behind the scenes roles in the office and for special event planning. Over 60,000 volunteers have been involved in hands-on dunes restoration. Call (310)739-8613 for information and to discuss how to get involved.

In 2008, Cindy Hardin, co-director of Audubon’s Ballona education program, was able to acquire 70 new binoculars for the program, using donations collected from donors and birdathons, making the students’ bird watching experience much more memorable.

Docent Training
The Audubon Docent program involves setting up an extensive month long docent training session each September, just at the beginning of the school year. 20-30 volunteers participate each year; many of them retired teachers and engineers. Some are returning from prior years because the sessions are so inspiring and informative. Sessions included birds, native plants, geography, insects, and native culture of Ballona.

Call Cindy Hardin at 310/301-0050 for more information regarding Audubon Docent Training.

Habitat Restoration: Stewardship in Action

Friends of Ballona Wetlands’ award-winning volunteer Restoration Program provides the opportunity to restore this precious coastal ecosystem while learning about its value. Volunteering engages participants in hands-on restoration of the unique and rare coastal habitat at Ballona.
Something as simple as moving a plant from one area of the planet to another can result in big problems. According to a 2004 Cornell University report by Pimental, Zuniga, and Morrison, there are over 50,000 invasive introduced plant species in the United States. The economic and environmental impact of these species cost the United States roughly $120 billion per year in losses in agriculture, forestry, fishing, tourism, as well as the loss of our natural heritage.

Plants, invertebrates, vertebrates, and animals, and even microbes get introduced both intentionally and accidentally, but always as a result of human activity. They are sometimes introduced for food, fiber, landscaping, accidentally through human travel, or through the importation of animals, food, and other plants.

If the plant can tolerate or adapt to the climate of the new area it can reproduce, spreading seeds to new areas, including wild natural areas. Since the predators for these introduced plants are back in the habitat from which they came, they have little competition in their new spot. Native plants and animals are displaced as introduced plant species take over. And these new rarely serve a purpose in the new ecosystem. Governments and citizens all over the world are recognizing this issue. At Ballona, we get together to do something about it…

Between 1999 and 2007, Friends of Ballona Wetlands volunteers removed over eight thousand four hundred cubic yards of invasive plants, trash, and debris from the wetlands, equaling more than four hundred and fifty tons of material. Additionally, over eight hundred native plants have been carefully planted and tended by dedicated volunteers until established in the coastal sand dunes of Ballona. These native plants have reproduced and flourished, creating precious pockets of life for native insects, reptiles, birds, and small mammals. It is with great joy that we witness cottontail rabbits dash across the sand and into the silver dune lupine, or hear the sound of the California Towhee as she forages for food in the brush.

Along with habitat restoration activities, FBW also facilitates the cleanup of Ballona Creek during special project days for corporate groups, community groups, and “Eco Holidays” such as Earth Day and Coastal Cleanup Day. During these events individuals, families, and community groups demonstrate heartfelt enthusiasm as they contribute to our ongoing efforts to revitalize our waterways.