Thanksgiving in NC

Don't worry I'm watching plenty of football and eating lots of food in Durham, NC with Dave and Evan for Thanksgiving. I took a day off work and flew down here for some needed rest. So far I've seen a little of Durham and walked around the Duke campus. We watched Gonzaga eek out a win against Cincinnati last night to win the Maui invitational, which was the first time I've watched TV for an extended time in several months. It was great, but I do not have high hopes for the Zags this year. We're having Thanksgiving dinner with some friends of Evan and Dave this afternoon. I will be returning to NYC having been refreshed, and will be ready to get back on the job. Next up, Xmas in Spokane.

In the news

I don't have internet or TV, and haven't been keeping up with the news, but today I did some laundry, and picked up a copy of The Times while my quarters went to work. I sat on a chair in the sun and read about the shooting at Fort Hood, the Health Care reform passing in the House, people living in poverty directly on top of enormous oil fields in Iraq--these were all in the front section--in the other sections we had stories about "the decline and fall of the bachelor pad" in NYC, 40 pages in the Auto section, some sprawling story about Sesame Street or Big Bird, etc. In between these stories were ads about the Yankees recent victory, music events and real estate.

If you take a train from Brooklyn and get off up in the Bronx, it's like reading the weekend Times. You see so many things that are so different that you get weary just from traveling across that spectrum--from weighty and interesting to trite and airy--and then back again. It's hard to see things that you dislike existing so close to the things that you think are more important. fashion should go to hell. hell should leave the people alone.

And what do you do about it?

You update a blog and make split pea soup. yep, that's definitely what you do.

new place + lost in the bronx

Welp-

I will finally be moving out of this 70 sq ft piece of garbage room and into my own apartment. I found a small 1 bdrm apartment in Astoria, Queens, which is quite a great place, I do say. Hopefully next weekend I will be up early on Saturday with a Uhaul van moving my stuff and getting furniture. Right now the only things in the apartment are a refrigerator and a bed, but I am so proud that I forced myself to by a shower curtain for the bathroom, which I would normally put off doing for a good while. I doubt there are many people on earth who hate shopping for home decor more than I do, but since I'm going to be the one living there, and will have to show it to people, I'm going to attempt to make my own home respectably decorated, organized, etc.

For the most part, I haven't had too much trouble finding my way around. But I often, and far too consistently get lost in the Bronx. We finally got a GPS in the cars last week, but before that I was driving around and getting stuck in traffic with way too many things left to do, and not enough time to do them. Wait, that's the job no matter what, but it makes it worse if you discover that you accidentally crossed the Triborough Bridge into Queens when you have a clients blood you had just drawn, which is only good for a certain amount of time--that is not fun.

Also, I am trying to decide whether I want to get a TV or internet in my place. I'm thinking that I won't. But maybe I'll give in.

that's all

crackers in my bed

So I made the mistake of trying to open an already opened box of wheat thins while laying on my bed last week. I was planning to eat them while continuing to lay there for two very good reasons: 1) I can do whatever I want, and 2) It's one of two places in my room where I can comfortably eat.

After opening the wrong side and wrestling with the package, I came to realize that crackers and crumbs were spilling all over me and my sheets. This was both amusing and frustrating, as I have a history of bed-food incidents, not only with crackers, but also scalding hot tea, a milkshake, a subway foot long, and most notably a candy bar (imagine scene from Godfather where man finds horse's head in his sheets and substitute horse for chocolate and almonds). Please refrain from making the obvious suggestion here, people. The point is that I have a problem; a food-in-my-bed-problem, and I hate to admit it, but the crumbs are not all gone because I forgot to wash my sheets last weekend. It's not the worst problem ever. You know what a worse problem is? Trying to figure out how a person on SSI should shop for healthy food in Harlem. You know what an even worse problem is? Being the person who has diabetes and mental illness and trying to figure out how to eat healthy and manage your weight on SSI while getting mugged semi-frequently. I mean, this guy might want crackers in his bed, right?

In other news:
President Obama was in NYC today, and apparently he was at The Met tonight, which is right near my place, and is along the route that I run on the way to the glory that is central park. Anyway, you wouldn't believe the amount of police officers who were around The Met. I literally saw more cops than people, which is significant, but the things is that they were all just standing in groups of two or more...just talking...getting paid. It made me resent police officers and our 44th president for requiring so much attention. I think NYC is rubbing off on me as I was annoyed by such a slight inconvenience. Or maybe it was the fact that, uh, THEY WEREN'T DOING ANYTHING!! I hope they all spill cracker crumbs on their sheets.

In alternative news:
I went to a Yankees game a couple weeks ago and spent way too much on a burrito and got semi-soaked, but also saw derek jeter surpass Lou gehrig's (sp?) as all-time hits leader.

Tetris and the Compassion Rebellion

You know when you are about to lose at tetris, and you start to panic and think, "oh, sh**, oh sh**" as the blocks seem to be coming faster and the rows move higher quicker? Well, I was born playing a brand new, beginner level tetris game. If you are born into poverty and have a mental illness, an abusive past, a poor education, addictions, no support, no dignity, are treated without respect, are sometimes given bread but never roses, are surrounded by violence, live in a society that is individualistic and calloused, well...I started out talking about tetris, but now I don't think a computer game is an appropriate analogy, but, you get the idea. Oh, sh**, oh sh**, you're f***ed (unless someone is willing to stand by you with a pocket full of quarters, patience, encouragement and teaching) this is just the way it seems to be. And most people don't spend a lot of time in arcades...I know I don't.

Upcoming events this week:
1) ultimate frisbee in central park
2) yankees game
3) will either give myself a haircut or pay for one
4) not writing another blog

Also, I will be composing a list of things that kill your soul. Feel free to comment on your own "soul-killers". I have two for you:
1) standing in line. this is just the worst ever!!!!!!
2) Shopping/thinking about stores like American Apparel- save your soul. don't do this.

PS- This is called blogventing (which is a term i just created). No need to comment or analyze. Just let it happen. Pictures to follow someday.
PPS- I found this link to be pretty simple way of presenting our health care problem in America

Where I work and Where I live

Having a combined first week in New York/new job was a little daunting at the outset, but it didn't end up being so bad. My only complaint is that I sweat profusely every time I go outside, and I don't have much space to myself when I get back home. Other than that, everything's good. I live about 5 min from the subway and have only a 10min ride to work everyday. I get off at 125th st. (Martin Luther King Jr. blvd) and walk about 4 blocks to my office. My office is in the heart of Harlem, and the sights on the way (disclaimer: I've only been here 1 week) I liken to something from a developing nation rather than someplace 15 min from Prada stores. I could talk a lot about my job, and the people I've met already, but I don't really feel like it. Just know that my job is fantastic, and I still internally chuckle at how I ended up here.

Tangent: I chuckled out loud on my first day of work as I walked along Martin Luther King Jr. blvd to the cross street, Malcom X blvd, where the main pathways office is located. My decisions keep leading me into situations where I don't really belong, but they make for good stories. Being from Spokane(=white), I found this scenario to be novel and quite amusing. They say that if you can make yourself laugh, then you will live about 10 years longer. Notice the irony in the fact that I made myself laugh by moving to Harlem, and therefore increased my life expectancy, which is really bucking a few trends, and that is also funny. Now if I can just steer clear of any "drug-deals-gone-bad" when I visit clients, I should be good well into my eighties.

anyway:
I really like my job, and my co-workers. I like the diversity here and the ridiculous amount of restaurants and models. I walk in central park most days, and went to the American Museum of Natural History about 30 min ago. All is good here. Now if I can just find where the cockroaches hid my wallet and keys...

232 E 78th NY, NY

Ok, so I'm here. I live in NYC now. I never planned to be living 4 blocks from Central Park, but oh well. I will post a link to a site I will be uploading pictures to. More later.


http://www.flickr.com/photos/63576705@N00/

Anything you can do Machu Picchu can do better

I met up with two friends in Cusco this last weekend: Ryan Thomas (we grew up down the street from each other) and Earl Sullivan (same Jr. High and High School). A complete psych-out weekend ensued for two reasons: 1) It was a psych-out to see Ryan and Earl, both of whom I see maybe once a year, and to see them in Peru of all places. 2) We played a lot of psych-out baseball; the game where you name off people from jr. high and high school that you absolutely have not thought of in at least 4 or 5 years. It's amazing how many names a people you can remember if you actually try. For example, Kenny Gagnon---PSYCH OUT! YOu get the idea.

We spent one night in Cusco...ate food, drank some beer, played darts, walked around, etc. A good time. The next day we bought a train ticket to Aguas Calientes--a small town right by Macchu Picchu. It is about 2 hrs from my home in Urubamba. We took the bus back to Urubamba, played psych-out baseball, took a bus to Ullataytambo, took a break from baseball, got the train to Aguas Calientes, found a hostel for $5, ate pizza, talked about things (with some occasional psych-outs as the popped into our heads).

The next morning we got up at 5 to catch the bus up to Machu Picchu. Also, there were hundreds of other people who did the same thing--people from all over the world. It's supposed to be the "off" season for tourism, which makes me wonder what the "heavy" season is like. I posted a couple pics of it. Machu Picchu is in what they call the "high jungle". Its jungly for sure, but it's lower than the Sacred Valley where I live. Anyway, we hiked this peak called Wayna Picchu in the morning which gives great views of Machu Picchu. It was sunny and actually really hot at times, but it was great. We spent about 6-7hours there and then went back to Aguas Calientes and then Urubamba. Ryan and Earl stayed in my room that night. Psych-out baseball was obviously played well into the night. The took off the next day for northern Peru and then Ecuador and then Costa Rica and then Mexico and then home. Those frickers.

It was a great mid-way refresher for myself. I have about 4 weeks left and then I'm back to Washington--where it snows, rains and is cold, but luckily where there is a starbucks just around the corner...or maybe two.

No, I'm looking forward to getting back and seeing people and being home. See you all soon.

getting the hang

Hello All,
Just finishing my third week here. I'm haven't been robbed, swindled, killed or kicked. I have been both noticed and ignored...mostly noticed. My nickname at the clinic in Chinchero is "gringito bonito" (roughly translated: prettty white boy). I'm healthy and I feel good. I'm in Peru; it's fun. What else do you want to know?
Tomorrow afternoon (us 3 volunteers and one extra dude) are heading to Cusco for the weekend. I think I am going to stay in Oscar and Miguel's (my borthers while in Peru) apartment. We are probably going to go to the dance clubs...apparently their great. On Saturay we are going to a couple of museums. I heard that they are amazing. Oh, last weekend we went to some Incan ruins: Ullutaytambo and Pisaq. They were both astounding and fun was had by all.
What else: I'm getting plenty of practice giving injections at the clinic...seriously, I give a lot of injections. Um, I practice my spanish and try to learn some quechuan (try learning two languages simaultaenously sometime, it is just awesome).
I must say that I have been missing certain things about the US. Freinds, family and food, mostly. I also just realized this moment that I have no idea who is in the NFL playoffs and I don't know when the superbowl is. When is the superbowl? I don't want to look it up. That's about it. You all are welcome to join the blog and post comments and communicate if you feel so inclined. Bye, Todd

The Sky is Low...aqui

I just started my second week here in Urubamba. The first few days were easily the most difficult...mostly because of the language. My weeks are going to be pretty much packed with stuff to do. On Mon, Tues and Thurs, I work in a clinic in a tiny village called Chinchero (I originally thought that I was going to be in Urubamba). The clinic is called a "MISMA" and is funded by the government. To give you an idea of what funded means:
-There is one bar of soap in the entire clinic
-Cleaning and sanitation consist of washing beds, floors and other equipment with dishwashing soap and cold water
-Sometimes dogs run around inside
-I think there are gloves, but I have no idea where...they are hardly worn
-My room is cleaner than the surgery/multipurpose room

Here is a link to info on Chinchero
The people who live there speak both spanish and quechuan. They are the descendants of the Icans, and they dress like this.
It is a 40 min bus ride from Urubamba. The road goes up, up, up...to about 12,000 ft. The best part of my day is the ride back. The farming land is stitched with green and the sky seems really near. On a clear day you can see taller mountains behind the ones that you thought were the tallest.

On the bus: sometimes I have to stand, sometimes I get to sit. People stare, always.

On Wed, me and my health campaign partner, Addie, help make water sanitation jars in Urubamba. This consists of pressing these ceramic jugs and filtering this sawdust-type material that is the actual filter for the water.

This Fri we are gong to schools in Urubamba to give presentations to 1-3rd graders about health. Fortunately, I've done this exact thing before. Unfortunately, this time I am doing it in spanish.


This last Saturday we planted some trees for a community near Chinchero. It was cloudy and cold, but my face still got burned. The people from the community came to help us after a while. Then they fed us a traditional Quechuan meal. Potatoes, cheese, chocla (huge corn).

My host family feeds me way too much. I try to pretend that I'm Luke Pounder/any Pounder and finish everythig on my plate. I usually overeat which I'm not used to. The food here revolves around meat, potatoes and rice. It has been really good food, but sometimes everything tastes similar. It's good, though.

I think that's all for now..
.

Upon Arrival

Hello, everyone! I guess I fill you all in on my travels thus far. My flights were basically hitchless until the Lima airport, where I proceeded to fall asleep at my gate (I stayed over night in the ariport...sat in a chair at a cafe and listened to really obnoxious swing music all night)...awaking, where I once was the only person at the gate, I was now surrounded by curious Peruvians (who were probably overly curious as to why I had my pants partially unzipped). Anyway, my gate was switched while I snoozed, but luckily I woke up just as another plane was boarding to Cusco and they let me on.

Urubamba is at about 9,000 feet, a small town surrounded by the Andes. The town is great. My spanish is not.

I am getting by, though. My homestay family live within Urubamba. I like them very much and already feel at home their. The mother's name is Delfina, and is a preschool teacher. The father, Julio, is a retired farmer. They have two sons: Oscar, age 24, who is at the university studying tourism, and Miguel, 20, who is also at the university (in cusco) studying business management. One speaks english very well, but they are back only on weekends. This is actually a good thing because it helps me practice my spanish with Julio and Delfina.

Tomorrow I start volunteering at the local clinic (about a 10 minute walk from my house). This will be mon, tues, thurs in the morning. On wed I am helping with a water sanitation project. In the afternoons I have spanish lessons. Everything is great here. To everyone is the snow; I'm so sorry.

adios-