After all, anything worthwhile has to be more thoughtful, deep and meaningful than the obvious meaning.  Here’s a quote from the piece and a link to it, I thought it was amazing, and it really captivated me.  What do you think?

Power denotes the ability to do what the person, organization, or country wants done at the time and in the way that the entity possessing power wants it done with minimal inconvenience. It is neither morally corrupt nor spiritually invigorating. It is neutral.

via Leadership and the Matrix of Power.

PS: Happy Holidays everyone! 

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Post tags: bias, leadership, perspectives, power, stereotypes

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But honestly. The polls show the majority of people in this country are against the Iraq war. I’ll assume (without any empirical evidence) that largely applies to my FB friends. So, why vote for a War candidate? I’m afraid that we often let the media write history for us, rather than remembering what had actually happened.
By that, I mean we have had (except possibly Carter?) nothing but war presidents since WW2. Lest we forget one of the most famous leaders (who was of course shut up, because people largely shutdown when they are left leader-less) in our country, he said:

The greatest purveyor of violence in the world today — my own country. - Martin Luther King Jr.

But I’m not the best spoken or most thoughtful, so check out this video which touches on social movements and the future of our country.

Don’t be mistaken. just look at recent history. Hussein asked us if we had any problems with us going into Kuwait, we said it wasn’t any of our business, then boom — Gulf War, Colin Powell, GBush Sr, et al, pounded him. Gulf war (”Desert Storm”)
So then Clinton decides he’s very unhappy with Iraq having Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMDs), so convinces Saddam to abandon his weapons. But he doesn’t believe Saddam, so he imposes sanctions on Iraq. Several reputed organizations have reported that ~567,000 Iraqi children died under these sanctions, Clinton’s Secretary of State, when asked about this on 60 minutes, said “the price is worth it.”
Later, Bush got into office, and the Democrats authored and sponsored a resolution of war against Iraq because of these WMDs that they said they didn’t have, and Bush happily signed and went along. Rumsfeld, Powell and more pushed it, including lying to us, and THE UN!
All the names I have just mentioned Should GO TO JAIL. I didn’t mention Clinton’s bombings of Iraq, Somalia, Kosovo, Congo, Afghanistan and more. Nor did I mention Bush Sr or Jr’s other bombing/military escapades. Do I need to? How many wars is too many? What’s your breaking point? Do you have one?
When will we listen to a visionary like MLK?

Obama and McCain have talked sternly about Iran and its nuclear program. (for YEARS)
(Yes, India, Israel, NKorea, China, and others have nuclear programs.)
Obama has pushed for troops in Pakistan, more in Afghanistan, and IN THE USA. (Look it up, or talk to soldiers — restationed from Iraq HERE. To guard against civil disobedience, demonstrations and unrest.)
All these things have been done.

What else do they need to do, to say, to push, to support? Ironically, despite Clinton’s militarism, he shrank the military a bit. But Obama and McCain remain committed to increasing the size of the military.

We have had decades long bans on offshore oil drilling, new nuclear power plants, and have been fighting the pollution of coal-fired power plants since RN’s Clean Air Act (among other legislations) AT LEAST.
Obama and McCain have supported removing all of this regulations.

Are you really going to vote for them? Are these things you really support?
If so, you’re buying the corporate line, not the scientist or researcher’s views/papers/research on the implications of ANY of this.

The economy, you say?

Reagan is often blamed for much. He had this trickle-down economics theory, saying that if you cut the taxes on the richest people/corporations, people would prosper.
So now we have a faltering economy. The government waits months and months, and does nothing about it. Nothing about the foreclosures. The unemployment. etc. All of a sudden Bush says “Let’s bailout!” Obama and McCain say “Great!” (along with the Democrats, the Republicans were mostly against it. Ironically?)

Let’s not forget that this was tried in ~1931, and resulted in the Great Depression. The only thing that brought us out? Massive infrastructure projects, FDR’s — giving jobs to PEOPLE.
This bailout though? It’s a clear message — helping out the bankrupt wall street gamblers, because if they’re helped, the economy’s helped. How’s that? Trickle down.
This makes sense because..?

And I’m not even advocating anything here, ironically. Maybe we should help people with their home foreclosures. It sure as hell would have been a LOT cheaper than $700 BILLION. But if we don’t, whatever. People get burned. Corporations get burned.
Somebody learns a lesson. (One hopes).
So I could see reason of someone saying “let’s not help people who are failing economically,” but it’s hypocrisy to say “Let’s help corporations that are failing because of their greed.” It’s ridiculous. It’s unfair. It’s bankrupting our country — destroying our economy.

Patti Smith sings, “Awake from your slumber.”
Please. This is crucial. The time is now. We need to stand up.

Don’t waste your vote on corporate candidates that don’t stand for you or your issues.
Make a stand.
Slavery ended, people of color and woman got the right to vote, and many many other great things happened in this country because people took to the polls and VOTED For candidates that represented their issues. Slowly, the country changed, and the big institutions/corporations/

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Post tags: 2008, election, McCain, Mckinney, Nader, Obama, politics, war

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Unfortunately I didn’t do anything for Earth Day/wk but sleep/hang out in the burbs, there was cool stuff going on in Chicago, as I found on a (live earth-related) Earth Day website, ranging from events at UoC, interfaith discussions, hikes, Mt. Trashmore at Northwestern(!), and a park cleanup. Alas.. Next year? I visited Milwaukee, Chicago and the burbs in this trip though, what was in downtown you ask– (BTW, Just uploaded all my Chi and Mil pix)

It's the Cloud Gate

me and the bride

The mall is notable because it’s in Schaumburg, the same city where the wedding I came to attend took place. This was my 2nd cousin on my dad’s side, Preeti Prasad , marrying Pradeep Kodali. (Their names both start with ‘P’! Well, this post is _severely_ overdue, so I’ll have to end it here, but to mention that it was great to see several of my cousins (and their families! wow i’m young I guess!), who are (mostly) all cool people. More (and better!) pics can be seen from the father-of-the-bridge on picasa, email me for that link. (Dunno if it was meant to be private, so I’ll only give it out to friends/fam)

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But, “how/why are they showing up in your blog’s feed?”.  Why Not?  How - I added a “Photo splicer” to my feed, that it would include 1 (new only)  picture tagged “India.” so everytime I upload a batch (usually < 100/time) of pics, it includes one of those new pics.  I’ve been trying to do one batch/day, hence almost 1 pic/day showing up in this feed each day.  But I’ve only got 8 or 9 more days to go before it starts to slow down, so hopefully you’re not getting too bothered.  I rather thought you might enjoy it, since I’ve been so laggard with uploading my pics in any organized fashion to my own, personal website.  There’s a lot of irony here, I won’t go into that..

All for now..

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“Following a successful World Toilet Summit-2007 (WTS 2007) it has been noted that there is a need to accelerate the progress on achieveing the MDG on sanitation by 2015. The participants advocate to reconfirmation of the pledge that nations took at Johannesburg in 2002. WTS 2007 adopts the Delhi Declaration on Sanitation- 2007:

• Increase awareness and political will, prioritise sustainable sanitation, the importance of achieving MDG #7 and other goals and also persuade national leaders to take further measures in this regard.
• Move to mobilise: Governments, UN Agencies, Financial Institutions, Corporate and local Bodies, Sanitation Service Providers and other Stakeholders through strong partnership and collaboration to undertake the required steps to increase sanitation coverage.
• Undertake data collection, annual review, monitoring and effective actions to scale-up sustainable sanitation programmes and strengthen policies at both the national and international level.
• Prepare and plan activities as well as a National Roadmap for the International Year of Sanitation 2008 in collaboration with all key stakeholders and important partners.
• Ensure and enhance financial allocation and support through national budgets and developmental partner allocations to sustained progress on sanitation.
• Develop and strengthen institutional R&D and human resource capacity at all levels to generate action and implementation int he sanitation sector and water supply.
• Promote knowledge exchange programmes on available sustainable sanitation technologies and behaviors in all regions.
• Advocate with National Governments to set specific sanitation goals and targets as well as help local communities and educational institutions to gain access to instituional finance.
• Organise regional and sub-regional conferences and workshops, declare Sanitation Awards to recognize and support regional works.
• Implement Sustainable sanitation programme through a demand-driven approach facilitating efficient marketing mechanisms.
• Prioritise school sanitation, health and hygiene programs.
• Implement child-friendly facilities which are both accessible and relevant to cultural and regional needs.
• Address region-specific gender issues by ensuring sanitation facilities for women and the ‘girl child’.
• Facilitate a paradigm shift from disposal-oriented systems to reuse and recycle oriented sanitation systems with a Quality control approach.”

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Post tags: Delhi, sanitation, World Toilet Summit, WTS2007

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Okay, maybe it’s not so exciting to you, but since the most important parts are short:

Dear Ajay,

On behalf of Humboldt State University, congratulations on earning your degree! Your official date of graduation is 16-May-07.
[.. extra stuff you don't care about...]
Congratulations again, and best wishes for future success and personal satisfaction.

(Sent by one Travis Brunner, but signed by Hillary A. Dashiell of the Registrar’s office, which I think is a funny inconsistency, plus it’s from the former’s personal HSU address. Silly ppl. heh)  (PS: As aforementioned, my Grad pics are online.)
I do like that last line though.. isn’t that what it’s all about?

So I started thinking, “Nah, they wouldn’t want to read about me graduating, my degree and all that (esp since so many of the FB’ers reading this are still in “school”)” and thought instead of quoting another old email I found, fwd’d from my school’s President, Rollin Richmond, but originally from the Graduation Alliance Pledge Coordinators.

As we celebrate Commencement and the 20th Anniversary of the Graduation Pledge Alliance we invite you to join the Alliance by taking the pledge:

“I pledge to explore and take into account the social and environmental consequences of any job I consider and will try to improve these aspects of any organizations for which I work.”

The Humboldt Spirit encompasses the core values of the Graduation Pledge. Humboldt State University is, as an institution, committed to being exemplars of stewardship in learning and promoting social and environmental responsibility. We serve as a multifaceted prism for students in recognition of the need for intellectual and practical development, relevant community involvement and a vehicle for outreach beyond academics.
[...stuff you don't care about..]
In taking the pledge below, you will be joining in solidarity with thousands of graduates from over 100 Universities, Colleges and High Schools worldwide which originated here at Humboldt State in April of 1987 by a volunteer group called Student Citizens for Social Responsibility. We encourage you to take a proud part of our academic heritage and professional legacy to the County of Humboldt, the State of California, the United States of America and the World over.

[sent by] Jacque Lee and Dawne Abdul Al-Bari
Interesting, exciting, no? True to name, this is the “Graduation” Pledge, but .. well, I don’t need to go into that analysis with you. Just because some folks sign a piece of paper around graduation time (and some only to get that neat free pin they gave out), it of course doesn’t mean much. And what of those that aren’t graduating (forget Humboldt, maybe even not from University or even High School, as is true with several of my friends), do they feel honor and duty-bound towards a better world? Or because they are “un/under-educated,” do they not give a shit? As Krishnamurthi might say, these are important questions I ask you.  I have some ideas about this, and experience in talking to such friends (notably the folks that prob won’t ever official graduate from HS, save less Uni), but I can not give anyone any of my conclusions, though I can share as appropriate.

So the real question: What do you think about this pledge?  do you like the sound of the words?  of the message?  If yes, is it something that you would take into your own life?  As I graduated I talked, just a touch with just a few folks about the pledge (GP hereon), and some used, what in retrospect are pretty stale, lines like about “realisticness” and needing to get a job for “money,” and similar nonsense.  Why nonsense?  They clearly neither properly read nor understood the pledge.  It says nothing about not taking a job which kills people or destroys the environment. (The biggest reasons I can think of to not take the pledge in ones’ own life).  It just says that one will consider such factors, and try to improve on the Social Conseq (I incl env consequences in that) in their organization. Wow, that’s asking too much? If so, then.. yeah, well, i’ll try to avoid this opportunity for pessimism+negativity for you and me both.
But really, I’m not here to bash anyone or otherwise criticize them for their decisions, I just want us all to think a little bit, and hopefully I put a seed in their, your, and my own mind by talking, and writing. (resp) I’d still love to hear thoughts. As I’ve been striving in my life, I’ll not judge. Am I wrong, is this actually unrealistic? Or once we’re “caught up the grind,” will we be unable to strive for better? Will that be a spot we wish to be in? If not why do we think about such possibilities, won’t such thoughts simply just take us straight to that place we say we don’t want? I mean, if you focus+think about something a lot, you’ll probably get it, for better or for worse.

I was thinking of tagging fellow grads in this post on FB, but since it changed to be GP-centered (as was the theme of the (Oct) 2007 Leadership Conference: “Ignite: Lighting the Passion Within” at my alma mater*, which hopefully my Humboldt friends were able to attend, and of which a few of my close Humboldt friends helped organize. (Actually, I’ll tag them so maybe they could share a thought, after thinking so hard+much on the GP.))

Some might say I’m in the “lucky” position of being an Environmental Sciences grad who will inherently be working in a field for the better life of others/the world. I say no. Everyone is in the same place, only different. More importantly, even among folks directly working in the fields of Social Justice and (under its umbrella) Environmentalism, aren’t necessarily doing anything to make their world better. Yes, I’m saying that I think that some are taking us in the opposite direction we should be going. I can give examples on demand, but let’s not lose focus, as examples are a good way to forget what we’re talking about.

So, with all this, and a fear of rambling (present or future) I close.  :)  Hope all of you are well, and yes, I am totally stoked.  It was a long time coming.  The shift of life direction is a bit scary (yes, in theory this is what I’ve been looking forward to for so long, but now..!) Where to go from here?  (As oh so many others also ask themselves)  Because it is a change.  And there’s no more recipe, no prescription to follow, from here on out.   I can do good, or I can do bad in the world.  Intentionally or not (because, as you might remember, Ivan Illich told, ”To Hell With Good Intentions“.)   What will happen.. I don’t know.  I’m not a bad person, and ppl like me (unintentional Stewart Smalley quote!), but.. that doesn’t necessarily lead to much.  That may not make sense, no worries!  I’d like to do good.  I don’t know if I’m doing anything good while on this India trip now, or if it’ll really lead to something/where cool, but.. I do think I’m going somewhere.  With that, take care, and be well my friends.  I think fondly of many of you often.

Namaste,

Ajay

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So, I’ve done a couple of things now. I’ve got the contact info for the 2 YHA Hostels (one official, the other not so sure!), got in contact with a few trekking organizations (Get off Ur Ass, Ozone India, Kalypso Adventures, Kali Rafting, & Empowercamp.com), emailled a few friends, Anand Bemra and Venkatesh Murthy, who were really involved with HSS in the US, to get some ideas on what I could do in terms of service (and will no doubt be connected into Sangh ^[1] ). Possibly not surprisingly, Venkatesh has only been in Bangalore for 6 months, and has ALREADY started a new project! It’s called Youth for Seva, and its intent is to see volunteerism among India’s youth similar to what is seen in the US. I also emailled another friend (Niket Sirsi) to get some ideas of what to do in terms of adventuring.. Sounds busy huh? Not exactly a lot of work for a whole month of being here though! The wedding is of course over (see the pics) Though I didn’t get any mehendi (Henna Tattoo) done, oops. (my Mom did though! )Oh, and Monday I went out with a friend of my cousin Sridhar’s, Vijayraj, who runs Farmland Rainwater Harvesting Systems (farmlandrainwaterharvesting.com is supposed to be their site but that link doesn’t work for me..) <–Link to the pics, and this project is discussed in an article in the newspaper The Hindu! Wow, was that NOT what the focus of my (incomplete) Senior Project was?? And I just finished signing up for WWOOF Independents, formerly known as Willing Workers on Organic Farms (I guess they changed their name) online. W00t, I’m excited! It’s funny that things are different, with YHA, WWOOF, etc, in India than elsewhere, but I guess it makes sense. It also fits in with the fact that doing EVERYTHING seems different/more difficult in India than I’m used to! Makes it more exciting, I guess! I’ve also looked up the website for USAID(.gov)’s India section, I don’t know that I’ll do anything with them, but when I was researching Decentralized Wastewater on Google News (for PoliSci project), I found references to their work in Jakarta (Indonesia)’s newspaper. Even if it’s like the Peace Corps, it would be worthwhile to connect in with them, imho. I need to start being able to make connections, find resources, network, etc. Interestingly enough, my uncle (a very rich man, runs a construction firm) setups On-Site Sewage (WasteWater) Treatment at some of his developments, so he’ll give me a tour, okay done, here are some pics: . I also read an article about this guy, CB Ramkumar who has recently created an organization called FEEL, and also made a company, Our Native Village, which is a “100% eco-friendly” eco-resort. I emailled him, have to call and followup soon. WOW. You know what? Writing this blog entry ALONE has been amazing, I’ve had to find so many links (because I like to link to things!), making me realize that SO many of the resources I want are ALREADY online! Yowza! Once I add some pics, I think we can call this entry good! (As TonyV would say, “lock it in and call it good”!) More?? I’ve got to start reading the newspaper more, the Times of India had a cover story on GreenPeace India bringing attention to GMO foods, so I emailled them about volunteering and signed up for their email list. Turns out their head India office is IN Bangalore! Later a small blurb about the Centre for Green Building Materials & Technology, Bangalore, they’re organizing a “SUSTAINABLE LIVING ’07” Conference this weekend! Good thing I didn’t make any plans yet!

References: 1) My blog entry from my last trip, 2) Article about CB Ramkumar, IT professional turned Eco-Tourister

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As people who know me probably know.. I’m not the biggest, or even the first, to recognize/commemorate myself in any way. (Begin storytime) I gathered my Parras friends together in ‘05 for my b-day, but I think a part of the inspiration was to allow them to meet my fam (which didn’t work, that first family was strange!). Other times I’ve casually mentioned to those around that’s it was my b-day (03,04,06 (CCC,BC,Cn resp)) and that was it. This year I did something that was seemingly a bit surprising+ out of the mold. I held a graduation party for myself! Wow. But I didn’t notice until a friend Carly asked me if I was enjoying myself during the party.. I think I said something about how that wasn’t what I was meant to do, and somehow I realized that I had set up the party in a way to make it about everyone else. Help people see how they’re connected to each other to help build+grow others’ networks, I guess since I wouldn’t be around Arcata anymore. Later I went around telling everyone how wonderful+fabulous they were in my life. Everything to avoid me being discussed or praised or anything. Wow, that’s pretty unfortunate! But interesting to dissect oneself, ya know?

Part of me definitely doesn’t want my birthday celebrated, which is one reason I don’t like to make a big deal about it, but.. yeah. It was _really_ nice to hear/see greetings from all you various people! The nicest thing was this b-day card that Seana made for me (I sometimes wonder where she gets my pics)

So, in traditional style, I gathered some of my cousins (and spouses) together for my b-day (ya know, an excuse for a gathering!) and we had dinner.

I wanted to link to a couple of really nice articles I read in the newspaper’s glossy “Times Life!” section on July 22nd. So I’ll give you the title and clip, and update this post (and comment on it maybe too) once I can find them online. “Live without guilt!” ‘We are surrounded by people trying to set guilt traps. It’s up to us to dodge them!‘ is the subtitle, by Vinita Dawra Nangia. The next is “Make yourself Count, subtitled: ‘When was the last time you stole a moment for yourself? Ritu Sur finds out why you are invariably the last in your priority list‘ Nice. (Just emailled the authors). UPDATE: (Apparently they can be accessed from their website, use login: bugmenotid pass: bugmenot to read. d’oh! apparently they require Internet Explorer and ActiveX. Blech!) Else! Here’s my Downloaded versions of those 2 articles for your viewing pleasure! (Cheesy, I know!)

When I came in ‘99 my birthday fell in that time, and, in addition to it being Lakshmi’s wedding we nominally came for, she’s also pictured in the photograph below because at that time she told me that I should treat them (her and my cousin Rajeev). HAH! You’re rediculous, I thought, surely she was just trying to trick me. “Everybody” KNOWS that on your birthday others treat you and give you gifts. So for this birthday, I thought, sure, why not, I’ll play her little game. And I treated everyone to dinner.

Here’s my album with pics from my b-day, the thumbnail is of my cousin (in India we say sister) Lakshmi (the bride-to-be), me, and some cake: (Pics from the day/dinner)

And I told Lakshmi that she was part of the reason I decided to do this, and it seemed like everyone agreed. On your birthday, you treat others. WEIRD! I guess she wasn’t trying to put one over on me, as its so easy to do with “the foreigner.” In any case, if this isn’t long yet, I shouldn’t let it get so, because it’s SO lagged in being posted! (Really, it’s Aug1st. So, thanks again folks, and hope everyone has a wonderful b-day! (As I try to figure out how to appreciate others’ b-days from abroad..) tata, -@

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Well, what to do? I don’t necessarly _have_ to do anything, really. I’m in India, and I wasn’t really planning on using my phone too much while here. It’s been useful for sure while I’ve been here, but.. how much am I really going to use it? Or rather, cost-benefit analysis right, like, is it worth it to me to pay (postpaid as they say in India) for monthly (”rental”) phone service, when I could say, just use skypeOut and pay ~2c/min to call the US when I need? Okay, there has to be a catch/benefit to paying the rental, and that is: my phone #. Ugh! I just cancelled the 707 phone # I’ve had for the last two years earlier this year, and given (most) everyone my new (Sunrocket, ack!) 707 number, plus I’m using this other 408 number that a few people have. My best bet would be to go back to that old 707 number, since I could update everyone that has my new # back to my old easily enough, and those that I didn’t update, would accidentally have a working phone # for me. But that company, BroadVoice, is slightly more expensive (for what I get).  [UPDATE: My account with BroadVoice is permanently closed due to non-payment, I'm a few days late, oops!  Ideal would be if Google's new purchase (GrandCentral) gave some props to the Sunrocket users of the world. (If you haven't heard about GrandCentral, you've GOT to check it out, it'll rock your socks! Makes total sense why da Goog bought 'em..)  [UPDATE: Just found out GC is FREE!  Oh, to receive an invite..]

So, the rest of this post is going to be my research results, like, what to do next, what companies have promotions going on, etc, aka stuff that would probably bore most of ya’ll, you’ve been warned!

Though here’s an interesting thread about disputing a charge with a credit card! (from DSLReports)

So what are the options? First read the news on FatWallet.. then start debating the options. Moving to a new provider.. the first and most-oft mentioned provider is ViaTalk, as they had a good deal.. (yesterday! ) for existing SunRocket users. (Buying out 12 months of their contract, aiee!) They have a similar, $199 upfront for one-year, pricing scheme as Sunrocket had. Hmm, more info on them.. first, from FW: check vtinside apparently, and the coupon code SHIPFREE will work with the 2 for 1 promotion. BOGOF ? Maybe other coupon code

More news on DSL Reports.com.. (Login to my gizmo with: admin/7UprUtew)

Others that have deals are.. Nuvio (1 month free, will match Sunrocket’s plan).. Vonics? (Pre-paid=$8.90/mo, 500 minutes US/CA) allo.com ($199/2 yrs, horribly Cust Svc) Or Inphonex? But I think I will end up going with Vitelity, it’s $1.49/month for an incoming number, and 1.39 cents/minutes for an outgoing call. This’ll be the cheapest way for me to keep my two phone numbers valid. And actually this seems really sweet, since I should be able to use my “Soft Phone” software again, since they are a total BYOD shop! Yowza/huzzah! Hope they can email me my voicemails..

Okay, I called Discover Card and disputed the charge, the rep seemed to think that it would work out well, at least a pro-rated discount. Fingers crossed everyone! And there are rumors of 8×8 (And others) acquiring the customer base, but it wouldn’t make sense for them to honor the ~17 months left in my contract without more $ from me. Hrmm.. I guess I can afford to wait-and-see though. Anywho, it’s 3am here, time for bed.. feel free to comment. Yeah, I probably won’t do anything until next week, enough time on this for this week! eeee.. no 630a run now for sure! -@

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(Links to Goodbye pics album)

Oh, what am I talking about, India, you ask? Oh yes, sorry, I thought I already told everyone. SO! My cousin Lakshmi is getting married, so my entire nuclear family has decided they want to go! Wow. My mom was already thinking of heading to India this year, but not until December, because that’s when her big family meet’s going to happen. (Family, and keeping in contact, is really important to my mom’s side. As opposed to my dad’s side..) So, that probably won’t happen now, ~$1500 (per person!) is a lot to drop twice in a year, so hopefully momz is okay with that. (Better once than never!) So, since this is only a # of weeks after graduation, so why not just go to India with the fam and.. Stay there! Yes, that’s the ticket! I called Eva, and apparently (contrary to my mom saying it was 6 months) my ticket is extendable up to ONE YEAR, and also without penalty! Good call on the airline choice momser! So I can keep changing my departure date per my whim. Ohh yes, that’s right, and nice! I didn’t have to pay all that much to tweak the heck out of my Australian ticket, but it was a bit more of a pain, and more $, so I ended up just getting it reissued once. (Maybe the fact that this is an e-ticket makes it easier? Dunno..) But I was thinking of cutting my trip a little shorter than that, and so I have it in mind to come back in time for HSU’s Commencement Ceremony (see pics from mine), but I’ll be waiting for someone to invite me to their graduation party before settling on that (*hint hint*). So, about this trip, I’m sure you’re asking for more..

I have these 3-4 areas/goals (expectations?) for my trip, things I’d like to do/accomplish before I leave. I’d like to 1) Reconnect with my roots/heritage, and hopefully in the process 2) connect with my spiritual side a bit more, while 3) being a tourist and see cool and neat places, and just have the experience of touring and living life, wild+free, 4) Check out the environmental scene, and potentially (ideally?) 5) Connect into the movement, organizations and folks doing stuff, and just generally have a jolly activist lifestyle here.

Most of these goals are of variable ease.. I mean, “finding myself” (this trip, and that phrase especially, seem so cliched!) , which really means making a true+deep spiritual connection, seems a bit tougher, but mostly they are within my abilities for sure. (Good little article on the spiritual tip, from the ‘Speaking Tree’ series, “Way to Spiritual Wisdom is through Heart.”)

[BUT!] In thinking about going to, say, a village in India, and trying to “help” and learn, I have to think about a piece that my friend Fernando Paz looks at very fondly. It is by Ivan Illich, and is titled To Hell With Good Intentions. Powerful shit. (High recommendations about Ilyich have come from many others, esp of the AZ (Accion Zapatista) folks. Will have to read him, and many others, at some point..)  More on all this later I’m sure..

Well, I feel like cutting this post a little short and ending it here, so PLEASE, if you have ANY questions/comments/concerns/etc, about my trip, life, ANYTHING, please comment on this post or email me. I’ll try to either reply back to you, or better yet cover some of ya’lls questions in a future blog post, so all can be enlightened. I’m sure many others share your questions. All for now, peace out! -@

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