Something new to try in Philly.
Monday, July 28, 2008
Friday, July 11, 2008
C,A, and E. That's all I remember.
i have to endorse this band for if i didn't i would be negative in productivity for the day. mgmt is f'ing baller. they inspired the below picture of me. it's just too bad they are boys though. ...and im not trying to say that they aren't as good because they are boys or anything like that i just get sick of always liking and identifying with bands that are male led. i think im at the point where i am wondering if they be as cool if they were girls? i want to say yes but i just don't know. i've been socializzzzzed.
not socialized to the point at which i find myself sighing at an image of myself being chased by a skeksi with a tailfin while muttering, "it would look better if i was a boy." i guess that's why it is still annoying me. because really, while i bitch about women being under represented in rock, i still can play a measly three chords on a guitar (self empowerment ray, SELF). so perhaps i will make another attempt to pick up an instrument and not get so caught up with discussing how few role models there are. but there aren't that many.
so
fucking
good
the last two videos ("fucking" and "good") are done by fans and posted on youtube. they are not the official videos. i have never seen a band inspire such funky and fabulous work. i'm not trying to be dramatic but it's exciting.
and this one is quite possibly my favorite, esp the party in the stomach. oh my gosh, hilarity.
and this is an interview that is eerily like every night i've spent in jp's room.
we need to copyright our lifestyle
not socialized to the point at which i find myself sighing at an image of myself being chased by a skeksi with a tailfin while muttering, "it would look better if i was a boy." i guess that's why it is still annoying me. because really, while i bitch about women being under represented in rock, i still can play a measly three chords on a guitar (self empowerment ray, SELF). so perhaps i will make another attempt to pick up an instrument and not get so caught up with discussing how few role models there are. but there aren't that many.
so
fucking
good
the last two videos ("fucking" and "good") are done by fans and posted on youtube. they are not the official videos. i have never seen a band inspire such funky and fabulous work. i'm not trying to be dramatic but it's exciting.
and this one is quite possibly my favorite, esp the party in the stomach. oh my gosh, hilarity.
and this is an interview that is eerily like every night i've spent in jp's room.
we need to copyright our lifestyle
Thursday, July 10, 2008
acts me a question bout ACTS
I love the people I work with. Obviously I love my cousin, but the office is full of characters that make us seem dull. Namely Blia. Blia Cha speaks Laotian and Hmong (she herself is Laotian) and is a credit counselor here. First I want to make it clear that she is so good at what she does. But now I want to tell you why I love her. She is a straight shooter who tells it like it is annnnd she sounds like Kim Jong Il from Team America. I know that it sounds like I am an ignorant person for saying that but I can't help it. Her accent and the things she says--she's hilarious. Carl will say things like, "I love her, she's so mean!" But I always respond that she isn't mean, she just tells the truth, and for that she is my kindred spirit.
She came with her family to get the shed my family is trying to get rid of (they are building a garage to sell their house...it's a weird market these days, and they need the shed gone). I never understood the clear benefits of children until this moment. Blia's sons were there working before their flight took off later in the day for Florida, her husband was there, her husband's brothers were there. They disassembled that shed with devotion to their matriarch. When some sat down to eat pork and sticky rice, others kept working. They kept talking up their pork to me and I kept declining until it came out that I was vegan and I felt so badly because then they wanted to know why and I was trying to be sensitive so I started off saying it isn't because I don't like meat because I love beef and pork but...and then I realized I was about to say "it's just really bad for you," to all of these people stuffing their faces with pork. So I started talking about discipline which really is one of my reasons but, wow, it was a close call.
They took the shed away but there was still all of these clay bricks underneath it. Blia stayed to pick those up and I went out to help her. Those bricks weigh a freaking TON. I worried about my back every time I lifted one. Blia kept complaining about her back so I told her to sit around and give me orders. She chuckled her cute chuckle and pondered my proposition but quickly started helping again. She's incredible. She worked non-stop for like 5 hours of labor.
The day after summerfest, which I described in my last post, we we had a staff lunch on the South Side. I did not remember this. I was severely hung over at the house doing GIS work and drinking glass after glass of water when Carl calls me 15 minutes before it is supposed to commence to remind me and to tell me he "really hopes I can make it." So I scraped myself out of my chair and drove to the South Side. I got their in time, perhaps even early, and no one was there! Of course I had left my cell phone at Carl's the night before so I couldn't call anyone. I went inside and got us a table. The waitress brought over seven glasses of water and two large baskets of tortilla chips. For fifteen minutes it was me and those glasses. Finally, a woman who looks ACTSesque walks in and we make eye contact but she didn't say anything so I just figured she wasn't an ACTS worker. After five minutes of wondering, she comes over and introduces herself as Mary from the North Side, and I must be Rachel. I told her I was so relieved she was here because I thought I had the wrong place or something and she said no, Carl just called to say he was going to be pretty late. At this point, he is a half hour late.
Finally, Carl and the ACTS posse I know walks in. Helaria and Francisco of the South Side come in (I love them too) and I start getting really excited because I love this staff! I start saying I brought my camera and Constance (she works with us in Central) freaks out and starts acting like a 13 year old drama queen. She keeps saying, "you should burn it" and stuff like that. Then there was drama because Mary ordered shrimp soup when really she had seen a shrimp cocktail that looked good. Helaria had told her it was shrimp cocktail earlier so I don't know what she was thinking when she ordered but she acted all pissed off and entitled. She wouldn't eat anything but the shrimp and she left all of the cilantro and onions on the side. Like, HELLO, everything is better with cilantro. She sulked the whole time. It was ridiculous. And Carl, who felt bad, told her she could chose the next place we meet and she said...PONDAROSA. For "soul food." And Carl begrudgingly okayed it, only to later mention that it wasn't local so it isn't definite (I just rewrote the ACTS policy book and buying local is an official policy so we will just have to see about Pondarosa). I hope I'm gone before that goes down.
Blia actually took Helaria's advice and ordered the shrimp cocktail which came out in a huge goblet with shrimp around it and a sort of gazpacho sauce in the middle with whole chunks of avocado. She ordered it hot because she only eats hot food and it wasn't hot enough for her so she added boat loads of chile peppers. She told us that in Laos, they eat hot food because it makes you eat more. Parents are worried that their kids won't eat enough so they make it spicy so you eat more to cool off you mouth. I thought that was interesting. I keep finding out new things from her like the other day when she said a part of town looked like the "refugee camp." What a life she's led.
Anyway, I did manage to get a good picture of us:
I still love the staff. Even if you can't take some of them out without them transforming into ridiculous divas.
She came with her family to get the shed my family is trying to get rid of (they are building a garage to sell their house...it's a weird market these days, and they need the shed gone). I never understood the clear benefits of children until this moment. Blia's sons were there working before their flight took off later in the day for Florida, her husband was there, her husband's brothers were there. They disassembled that shed with devotion to their matriarch. When some sat down to eat pork and sticky rice, others kept working. They kept talking up their pork to me and I kept declining until it came out that I was vegan and I felt so badly because then they wanted to know why and I was trying to be sensitive so I started off saying it isn't because I don't like meat because I love beef and pork but...and then I realized I was about to say "it's just really bad for you," to all of these people stuffing their faces with pork. So I started talking about discipline which really is one of my reasons but, wow, it was a close call.
They took the shed away but there was still all of these clay bricks underneath it. Blia stayed to pick those up and I went out to help her. Those bricks weigh a freaking TON. I worried about my back every time I lifted one. Blia kept complaining about her back so I told her to sit around and give me orders. She chuckled her cute chuckle and pondered my proposition but quickly started helping again. She's incredible. She worked non-stop for like 5 hours of labor.
The day after summerfest, which I described in my last post, we we had a staff lunch on the South Side. I did not remember this. I was severely hung over at the house doing GIS work and drinking glass after glass of water when Carl calls me 15 minutes before it is supposed to commence to remind me and to tell me he "really hopes I can make it." So I scraped myself out of my chair and drove to the South Side. I got their in time, perhaps even early, and no one was there! Of course I had left my cell phone at Carl's the night before so I couldn't call anyone. I went inside and got us a table. The waitress brought over seven glasses of water and two large baskets of tortilla chips. For fifteen minutes it was me and those glasses. Finally, a woman who looks ACTSesque walks in and we make eye contact but she didn't say anything so I just figured she wasn't an ACTS worker. After five minutes of wondering, she comes over and introduces herself as Mary from the North Side, and I must be Rachel. I told her I was so relieved she was here because I thought I had the wrong place or something and she said no, Carl just called to say he was going to be pretty late. At this point, he is a half hour late.
Finally, Carl and the ACTS posse I know walks in. Helaria and Francisco of the South Side come in (I love them too) and I start getting really excited because I love this staff! I start saying I brought my camera and Constance (she works with us in Central) freaks out and starts acting like a 13 year old drama queen. She keeps saying, "you should burn it" and stuff like that. Then there was drama because Mary ordered shrimp soup when really she had seen a shrimp cocktail that looked good. Helaria had told her it was shrimp cocktail earlier so I don't know what she was thinking when she ordered but she acted all pissed off and entitled. She wouldn't eat anything but the shrimp and she left all of the cilantro and onions on the side. Like, HELLO, everything is better with cilantro. She sulked the whole time. It was ridiculous. And Carl, who felt bad, told her she could chose the next place we meet and she said...PONDAROSA. For "soul food." And Carl begrudgingly okayed it, only to later mention that it wasn't local so it isn't definite (I just rewrote the ACTS policy book and buying local is an official policy so we will just have to see about Pondarosa). I hope I'm gone before that goes down.
Blia actually took Helaria's advice and ordered the shrimp cocktail which came out in a huge goblet with shrimp around it and a sort of gazpacho sauce in the middle with whole chunks of avocado. She ordered it hot because she only eats hot food and it wasn't hot enough for her so she added boat loads of chile peppers. She told us that in Laos, they eat hot food because it makes you eat more. Parents are worried that their kids won't eat enough so they make it spicy so you eat more to cool off you mouth. I thought that was interesting. I keep finding out new things from her like the other day when she said a part of town looked like the "refugee camp." What a life she's led.
Anyway, I did manage to get a good picture of us:
I still love the staff. Even if you can't take some of them out without them transforming into ridiculous divas.
Monday, July 7, 2008
Mini apples
I haven't blogged in a while. At first I attributed this just to old habit. I have about six beautiful journals with the first five pages filled out, one of which says something like "The Private Property Of Rachel Zack--Do Not Read, Penalty of Death," in all caps like that, because this sentence I would equate to the title. But this blog is clearly public (thank you mother) drawing a distinct line between my approach to it and the journals that supersede it. Back to my point, I have come up with an explanation for why I haven't been blogging that has nothing to do with disinterest. Whether or not I am just rationalizing my behavior I will leave up to you. I think that my lack of blogging can be attributed to my past week of computer related obligations that made spending extra time at the computer seem unappealing as well as the plain fact that these activities are just not worthy of public attention.
I am going to contradict my last statement right now and take a second to warn everyone never to take a class with Michelle Thompson of Cornell University. As far as I am concerned she is a thief. She wouldn't talk to us all week and if we had any questions she would write back and tell you to reread the directions...as though her job stopped after the syllabus and assignments, and if it wasn't clear then you have poor comprehension, it certainly could not be unclear. During our work sessions she would say things like, "Don't worry, we are in this together. I am here for you," and then make phone conferences with us that she would blow off. On top of her poor communication and response during the week, she would try and use reverse psychology on us during our once a week two hour class time by saying, "I'm going to let you go early so you can work on your assignments..." ...Thanks? How about you put together a lesson plan? As far as I'm concerned she owes me half of my money back for teaching myself.
I blew off my GIS project to go to the Matisyahu show at Summerfest. We went with Ben Ingle and two of his friends who turned out to be really fun. Gretchen and I snaked our way to the front of the crowd but at about 20 feet from the stage we couldn't go farther and we couldn't see anything. We decided that we weren't going to settle for a view of some high school hippie's heads so we overturned a huge barrel trash can and climbed up to dance. On top of the trashcan we had a clear view of the stage and of the crowd who now had their cell phones (now more common than lighters) up swaying for Jerusalem. It was nuts. Eventually security came over to tell us to get down but that was after an hour of unobstructed views of Matisyahu so we were very apologetic and willing.
After I got all my materials in for GIS it was vacation time! For Carl! So that was crazy because it was his first time leaving the organization in anyone elses hands. After one day of taking the reins, I was ready for my own vacation...Minneapolis! I booked my ticket on the Megabus and went to visit Siri and Jen.
Minneapolis is beautiful. The city of lakes. We walked around, saw the sights, made food, reminisced, drank a lot, and saw fireworks. It was really nice. Here are some pictures:
Our dinner which prompted comments such as, "I didn't realize vegan can be so easy!" Word up girl.
We watched fireworks at some bridge by Nye's Polka Bar. Oh, that river is the Mississippi.
I saw a lot of parrells to Copenhagen...the lakes, the summer happiness, the dread of winter...
This was my sweet ride for the weekend.
Minneapolis has these well maintained Greenways that should really be a goal in most cities.
All in all a great trip. I already miss them. Next weekend I'm off to Chicago!
I am going to contradict my last statement right now and take a second to warn everyone never to take a class with Michelle Thompson of Cornell University. As far as I am concerned she is a thief. She wouldn't talk to us all week and if we had any questions she would write back and tell you to reread the directions...as though her job stopped after the syllabus and assignments, and if it wasn't clear then you have poor comprehension, it certainly could not be unclear. During our work sessions she would say things like, "Don't worry, we are in this together. I am here for you," and then make phone conferences with us that she would blow off. On top of her poor communication and response during the week, she would try and use reverse psychology on us during our once a week two hour class time by saying, "I'm going to let you go early so you can work on your assignments..." ...Thanks? How about you put together a lesson plan? As far as I'm concerned she owes me half of my money back for teaching myself.
I blew off my GIS project to go to the Matisyahu show at Summerfest. We went with Ben Ingle and two of his friends who turned out to be really fun. Gretchen and I snaked our way to the front of the crowd but at about 20 feet from the stage we couldn't go farther and we couldn't see anything. We decided that we weren't going to settle for a view of some high school hippie's heads so we overturned a huge barrel trash can and climbed up to dance. On top of the trashcan we had a clear view of the stage and of the crowd who now had their cell phones (now more common than lighters) up swaying for Jerusalem. It was nuts. Eventually security came over to tell us to get down but that was after an hour of unobstructed views of Matisyahu so we were very apologetic and willing.
After I got all my materials in for GIS it was vacation time! For Carl! So that was crazy because it was his first time leaving the organization in anyone elses hands. After one day of taking the reins, I was ready for my own vacation...Minneapolis! I booked my ticket on the Megabus and went to visit Siri and Jen.
Minneapolis is beautiful. The city of lakes. We walked around, saw the sights, made food, reminisced, drank a lot, and saw fireworks. It was really nice. Here are some pictures:
Our dinner which prompted comments such as, "I didn't realize vegan can be so easy!" Word up girl.
We watched fireworks at some bridge by Nye's Polka Bar. Oh, that river is the Mississippi.
I saw a lot of parrells to Copenhagen...the lakes, the summer happiness, the dread of winter...
This was my sweet ride for the weekend.
Minneapolis has these well maintained Greenways that should really be a goal in most cities.
All in all a great trip. I already miss them. Next weekend I'm off to Chicago!
Saturday, June 21, 2008
Chihuahuas are so last season!
Summer is upon us. When I became of aware of the sulstice I also became aware of the wonderful fact that college lets you get a jump start on summer. Hear I am thinking I am enjoying summer when really I am enjoying "pre" summer. Poor high schoolers have to wait until real summer begins. Not us older and wiser folk. Well, I guess this is my last one so I better enjoy it.
What? What did I do on the solstice you say? I tried to remember my camera for the day and succeeded but the battery was "exhausted" by the third picture. It doesn't matter because the most important part was captivated. First, and less important, was the Saturday morning weight class. After class, Barbara and I went to Bay View on the South Side and ate rasberries and vegan/sugar free muffins (they are like miniatures of that fat free/sugar free/vegan bunt cake Bubba demolished at Alex's Birthday!) with a friend at the farmer's market. We then went for a bike ride along Lake Michigan and I got a taste of the upcoming trip.
One thing I want to mention before I disclose beautiful pictures on your face--has anyone read about the 17 girls in Mass who preplanned their mass pregnancy? The "bump" phenomenon it's being called. Karen (Barb's friend) said that these kids claimed they thought it was cool because Britney's little sister is apparently worthy of role modledom!! She's not even a B-list celebrity! Why did I even bother saying that? A child is not a chihuahua! Even a chihuahua is a lot of responsibility! Just another reason why T.V. should not substitute a babysitter. Kill it. Kill your tele.
link to report
After the bike ride we had to run some errands that happened to be located right in the middle of the Milwaukee Sulstice Festival in Riverwest. So I got to go to Beans and Barley to get quinoa AND watch a rousing/intense (could make Meg W. cry) game of dodgeball ball while feverishly munching on a superb black bean barrito.
I came home, worked on some GIS, talked to my mom on the phone and then made some awesome quinao nut hash for dinner. I sure had a good food day now that I write it all down in here.
The movie I sealed my first summer night with was about high school debate teams. Particularly, a pair of students from Long Beach whom used the debate forum to rip apart debate as an inaccessible and thereby racist system that no longer served the purpose of discourse on issues but rather accolades students who can parrot other people's arguments with no actually purpose of personal resolve. This immediately triggered memories of late nights in Kyla's room debating with Kate. I think the movie is called "Resolved" (though the kids making change ultimately fail--we will pick up where they left off Ky!) and I really think she should see it because I am interested to hear her argument against (assuming it would be).
"...honest differences are often a healthy sign of progress."
- Ghandi man, shit.
What? What did I do on the solstice you say? I tried to remember my camera for the day and succeeded but the battery was "exhausted" by the third picture. It doesn't matter because the most important part was captivated. First, and less important, was the Saturday morning weight class. After class, Barbara and I went to Bay View on the South Side and ate rasberries and vegan/sugar free muffins (they are like miniatures of that fat free/sugar free/vegan bunt cake Bubba demolished at Alex's Birthday!) with a friend at the farmer's market. We then went for a bike ride along Lake Michigan and I got a taste of the upcoming trip.
One thing I want to mention before I disclose beautiful pictures on your face--has anyone read about the 17 girls in Mass who preplanned their mass pregnancy? The "bump" phenomenon it's being called. Karen (Barb's friend) said that these kids claimed they thought it was cool because Britney's little sister is apparently worthy of role modledom!! She's not even a B-list celebrity! Why did I even bother saying that? A child is not a chihuahua! Even a chihuahua is a lot of responsibility! Just another reason why T.V. should not substitute a babysitter. Kill it. Kill your tele.
link to report
After the bike ride we had to run some errands that happened to be located right in the middle of the Milwaukee Sulstice Festival in Riverwest. So I got to go to Beans and Barley to get quinoa AND watch a rousing/intense (could make Meg W. cry) game of dodgeball ball while feverishly munching on a superb black bean barrito.
I came home, worked on some GIS, talked to my mom on the phone and then made some awesome quinao nut hash for dinner. I sure had a good food day now that I write it all down in here.
The movie I sealed my first summer night with was about high school debate teams. Particularly, a pair of students from Long Beach whom used the debate forum to rip apart debate as an inaccessible and thereby racist system that no longer served the purpose of discourse on issues but rather accolades students who can parrot other people's arguments with no actually purpose of personal resolve. This immediately triggered memories of late nights in Kyla's room debating with Kate. I think the movie is called "Resolved" (though the kids making change ultimately fail--we will pick up where they left off Ky!) and I really think she should see it because I am interested to hear her argument against (assuming it would be).
"...honest differences are often a healthy sign of progress."
- Ghandi man, shit.
Wednesday, June 18, 2008
i don't want a pickle...
i know, i know, the lighting makes her look juandiced but trust me...she's a beaut.
my handle bars make all the girls scream.
and if you look at the back tire you will notice it is flat. but! it is now fixed and up and running!
so, now that she's in my possession, paranoia has set in. i wonder about her wellbeing 24 hours a day. i ride her to and from work and today, when carl told me we were going to jazz in the park tomorrow, i almost declined because i wanted to ride my steed home. so basically, my life is much improved, though i am still transitioning priorities from the freaky first time motherhood sort, to regular im still 22 sort.
and that juandiced lighting and white concrete--that's just my office. it's actually quite nice when the music is playing and my mother's gardening poster is up, oh, and when the accountant doesn't kick me out. actually, i'm secretly in love with the accountant in a weird "when i am a professional writer you will be a staple character" kind of way. i will leave you with the lyrics from one of the most true songs ever written.
i don't want a pickle...
i just want to ride on my motor'sicle...
and i don't want to die...
i just want ride...
...on my motor cy...
-Arlo Guthrey
the three e's
economy, ecology, and equality--madonna couldn't spin a hotter track. this mantra is stuck in my head like vogue. In school it always seemed to me that working on all three at the same time causes a brain melt down, a system failure. i would ask professors "How do we take action?!" like it was so hard to contribute, that what we need is genius innovative ideas to fix this crisis we are in. my perspective is changing.
this is mostly due to my job. somehow, ownership of homes needing substantial rehabilitation seems to hit all three. people come to this organization with very few assets, have access to translators and creative funding such as sweat equity, and start building wealth. these people are not creating new utopias on greenfields, they are rehabilitating old homes and improving old housing stock. they are investing in neighborhoods which can only be improved. finally, due to the unequal racial playing field and immigrant status of most of our clients, this is their first home and first opportunity to invest in something that will provide them with equity to raise the level of the playing field. renters become stakeholders! empowerment!
i am beginning to see how well people can improve their own situations when provided with the access they need.
as for my bike...tonight might be the night i upload the photos...
this is mostly due to my job. somehow, ownership of homes needing substantial rehabilitation seems to hit all three. people come to this organization with very few assets, have access to translators and creative funding such as sweat equity, and start building wealth. these people are not creating new utopias on greenfields, they are rehabilitating old homes and improving old housing stock. they are investing in neighborhoods which can only be improved. finally, due to the unequal racial playing field and immigrant status of most of our clients, this is their first home and first opportunity to invest in something that will provide them with equity to raise the level of the playing field. renters become stakeholders! empowerment!
i am beginning to see how well people can improve their own situations when provided with the access they need.
as for my bike...tonight might be the night i upload the photos...
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