Why do my hands smell like garlic?

Reading my geography work... peeling garlic for pasta sauce... had to
cook in the dark because kitchen lights were out. Yay.

What is it that I'm reading?

About land reform in Latin America. Seriously this issue gets not
coverage in any serious way. Most of us seem to ignore the
peasantry/farmers of the land... as if they should just come over to
the cities. Do we (the urbanized city folk) know what goes into
farming?

I've taken 2 'development' type classes before but never were land
forms such a major issue. I have an ''urban bias'' where I sort of
always disregard those who work the land... not as insignificant, but
as sort of just part of the development process.. like helping them to
transition from doing farm work (which while I learned to respect a
lot while I was in Viet Nam, I just see it as something I dont
understand why people do, its such intense and hard work) to doing
other things. I guess I've just had this tendency to feel like while
farming and agriculture is needed, I just cant imagine wanting to do
it all of my life...etc, etc.. Nonetheless I suppose that we need more
of a balance.. trying to create these huge urban cities while ignoring
rural areas is of course not the way to go. Perhaps we should learn to
share duties of agriculture a bit more.

My mother grew up on a farm.. but I feel like I have no real connect
with it. My grandmother still lives on the 'ranch' but its just 20
acres of land thats rented out to someone else... all I can sort of
see of it are a couple broken down tractors and other broken
equipment. I guess whats rather interesting is that I study about
displaced agricultural workers from other countries... and yet for all
intense and purposes my mothers family were farmers and her and her
sister now work in cities... my uncles are county roadworkers... no
more farming going on. It wasn't from political displacement, although
it certainly seems like it would have come eventually. Hmm,,

I dunno.

Well. I should get back to reading.

Oy... español se parece tanto dificíl... y tengo que recibir una nota
buena en el examen proximo... aunque siento que haya aprendido mucho.
¡¡¡Aye, soló quiero vivir en un país de los habladadores de español!!!
De pronto, tal vez ;-)...

¡El subjuntivo lo me mataré!

¿Hay una persona que le puede recomendar para mi organizaciones o
grupos de Centro or Sur de America dónde podriámos trabajar yo y mi
novia en el verano proximo? Claro, mi español no es muy bueno pero yo
trato y aprenderé rapidamente.

A siempre, enviando besitos y abrazitos para mi amarte... :-D

Note: Trying out the email update thing

Well. I've had a pretty full Sunday. Unfortunately its only included
about 4 hours of homework. My goal was about 8 hours. I'm screwed
again, hahaha.

Oh well, I'm not necessarily a lot behind. But I'm tired now, so I'm
going to sleep for 4 hours. Then wake up and keep on going.

I really miss mi novia, em yeu Lan Anh.

Rough weekend. Tears of sombeness. Tears of joy.

*worried slightly about the state of financial capitalism and the
whole propping up and paying for of the american trade and budget
defecit. We're gonna screw ourselves. Screw over the world some more.
Depression? Try complete collapse. I can only hope for an anarchy that
works* (note: this wont make sense to most people).

But no, i REALLY REALLY REALLY miss mi amarte.

Glad to spend time with friends this last week. Glad I decided against
a few things with Sonny.

Apple tree songs.

Depressing Cold Play. But then happy too. Like drugs: mood dependent.

Jill scott: makes me remember when my family got together. So sad. But
remembering the past fondly is nice to.

Los De abajo: Que le vaya bien, Que le vaya el tren...

Spanish class: Estoy aprender mucho pero no tan como necesito... No
creo que recebiré nota buena... ¡Qué Lastimá!

CogSci: Well at least it makes me realize i dont want to be a
neuroscientist. But so damn interesting sometimes too. I'll pass at
least.

Vietnamese: Well. Not as much as I would have liked to have learned.
Considering I'm taking it for no credit, and enjoying my most
wonderful em yeu ngon teacher who loves to study and take fiom
breaks.. well.. who needs class when you can have nguoi yeu cua anh?

Post-colonial Geographies: yep, the world is still fucked up. At least
this helps me with some solid examples instead of 150 yr old theory...
which is useful in its own way. Note: If you can avoid buying petrol
from any major corporation, you'd be among one of millions of silent
boycotters of some of the most dubious systems we've got around. The
oil industry just makes me want to be even more communist. Getting
excellent grade.

Psych (drugs and behavior): Wow. Enough said. Getting excellent grade.

Enough for 1am...

...BUT YOU DONT UNDERSTAND... Anh nho em yeu ay RAT RAT RAT RAT NHIEU A....

I went to the Cal Berkeley 'Big Game' (American Football) with Stanford yesterday... it was a pretty interesting game. I havnt been to a big sporting event for a while. It was sort of an interesting experience... but moreso because of one group of people: the food vendors. There are these food vendors, almost always men who seem to be middle aged, who run up and down the isles of the stadium. Upon seeing this it just put me into a deep think process for a few moments..and suddenly made me think of Vietnam... and this is the outcome:


Hot dogs! Hot dogs, get your hot dogs!
Get 'em while their hot!

Sticky rice! Who wants my sticky rice?!
Soya! Peanuts! Lichens, sticky rice anyone?


calls of vendors from open-sewer streets of Ha Noi to the shit infested American football stadium benches.

Every wanning voice crackling, and cakling from dusk to dawn, you must be loud. Unique. Tedious work no one mentions.

Every breath, all motorbike traffic is ruptured by her unceasing calls. Her children's stomachs cannot afford not to be heard. Her old voice betrays youthful age.

And his life, what was it before this? His grey hairs get no respect. Beckoning you to depart money for plastic potatoe chips, which cost half his hours wage.

Coke! Diet, Sprite, Pepsi I got it right here!
Get it ice cold, folks!

Come taste my pinapples! Don't you want to try them?
Mangoes, Bananas, pinapples, fresh!

Pedelling her wares is how she will survive. Sell this Tet or move back home. Malaria swamps. Sewing rice fields. Sell: No time to smell flowers

He must sell. Sell sell sell. So many fat people must want something to eat while they watch their game. Sell: Seagull shit showers.

Calling out to one another they will never meet even though they are the same. They must survive by surviving on their voices.

Each hollar and chant, memorized and forgotten a thousand times. Reanimated with each new brand name. Retailored when seasons change their choices.

And forever we will hear...

Ice cream! Ice cream! Soft and cold!
Get your ice cream, its a hot day today!

Che pudding! Cigarretes! You need them yes?
I have them, you must see my bargains!

--- Do you ever think about these people? ---