Applications for Life
3.11.06
In filling out an application for yet another graduation degree (3's the charm?) I had to review old college and grad school transcripts. Seems I wasn't teh stellar undergrad I thought. Must have been distracted by all those young fraternity boys. Or seomthing. And how did I manage to have a "liberal arts" education without taking a single History, Philosophy or Religion class? Ah, well, must have been distracted by ... Anyway, looking back at resumes, having to write personal statments of purpose and computing my GPA, it's been itneresting to reflect on these past 30 years since tossing my mortar board into the air. A girlfriend has started on line dating and said it was an eye-opener to try to describe herself and her interests and ask herself, "well, do I really go hiking, read alot, cook home style Mexican and relax in front of roaring fires, as I wrote, or is that how I like to see myelf?" Good question. Maybe we should all have to re-apply to our lives now and then, think about our goals and write personal ads for potential partners. I did that recently and, what an eye-opener. Mirrors are one thing, but having to put down a position statement, (which is one reason for writing in this format here), challenging oneself in new situations with diverse people, putting yourself into foreign and uncomfortable situations, those are the true tests. Stripping away what you think you know, or allowing someone else's bullshit meter to register your own, that's when, if you're open, you might discover some thing new and necessary.
Met a Senegalese couple today waiting for an orientation that never took place. Fascinating again to see the U.S. from their point of view. Wonderful to brush off my French again and enjoy that sing-songy lilt, while discussing slavery, the isolation of life in LA and how badly we raise our children. The Dad talked about how he could not relate to blacks here, how he found them savage like, how they talk, dress and act. ALso about how people outside teh U.S. have no idea what our warts look like, as we export only the brilliant, shiny, fast, new and fascinating. I was reminded of my time in Zaire adn how wonderful it was to have no media access, but also how present I felt America's thumb while doing the work I did under her "development" auspices. Theo talked about Africa's brain drain and I mentioned how we take all their resources and his wife added that there is no hope for that continent because any one who can leave does.
Yet they miss their family, their land and want to return somehow so she's looking at graduate degrees to do International work. Nice to meet her and a 50 y/o AIDS counselor looking to move ahead in his career, addressing the needs of aging AIDS patients, now that the disease doesn't necessarily kill you. So many of us, seeking to make the most of our time on earth, re-applying at various junctions on the way. I love being around that energy, the mutability of us humans, for better or worse.
In filling out an application for yet another graduation degree (3's the charm?) I had to review old college and grad school transcripts. Seems I wasn't teh stellar undergrad I thought. Must have been distracted by all those young fraternity boys. Or seomthing. And how did I manage to have a "liberal arts" education without taking a single History, Philosophy or Religion class? Ah, well, must have been distracted by ... Anyway, looking back at resumes, having to write personal statments of purpose and computing my GPA, it's been itneresting to reflect on these past 30 years since tossing my mortar board into the air. A girlfriend has started on line dating and said it was an eye-opener to try to describe herself and her interests and ask herself, "well, do I really go hiking, read alot, cook home style Mexican and relax in front of roaring fires, as I wrote, or is that how I like to see myelf?" Good question. Maybe we should all have to re-apply to our lives now and then, think about our goals and write personal ads for potential partners. I did that recently and, what an eye-opener. Mirrors are one thing, but having to put down a position statement, (which is one reason for writing in this format here), challenging oneself in new situations with diverse people, putting yourself into foreign and uncomfortable situations, those are the true tests. Stripping away what you think you know, or allowing someone else's bullshit meter to register your own, that's when, if you're open, you might discover some thing new and necessary.
Met a Senegalese couple today waiting for an orientation that never took place. Fascinating again to see the U.S. from their point of view. Wonderful to brush off my French again and enjoy that sing-songy lilt, while discussing slavery, the isolation of life in LA and how badly we raise our children. The Dad talked about how he could not relate to blacks here, how he found them savage like, how they talk, dress and act. ALso about how people outside teh U.S. have no idea what our warts look like, as we export only the brilliant, shiny, fast, new and fascinating. I was reminded of my time in Zaire adn how wonderful it was to have no media access, but also how present I felt America's thumb while doing the work I did under her "development" auspices. Theo talked about Africa's brain drain and I mentioned how we take all their resources and his wife added that there is no hope for that continent because any one who can leave does.
Yet they miss their family, their land and want to return somehow so she's looking at graduate degrees to do International work. Nice to meet her and a 50 y/o AIDS counselor looking to move ahead in his career, addressing the needs of aging AIDS patients, now that the disease doesn't necessarily kill you. So many of us, seeking to make the most of our time on earth, re-applying at various junctions on the way. I love being around that energy, the mutability of us humans, for better or worse.
posted by Barbery at 7:44 AM
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