some thinkings: my war

i should say something because of Obama's speech on iraq today, when he officially says we've ended combat missions. it's weird though, my good friend from college, Tom, is one of the 50,000 troops headed over there now. my head's still there.

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iraq is my generation's war. but unlike the vietnam war and its pervasiveness on my parents' generation, most of us (Gen Y-ers) forget that we're there. while it is true that the violence was never as high, nor have the deaths reached a staggering number (although, how many deaths does 'a lot' constitute, in a war that we've been in almost 10 years?), the politics, the scandals, and the hatred surrounding this war is felt in a real way by people like me.

i think my generation won't really start thinking about it until years down the road. it's too complicated, too much other information that we'd rather be reading (jersey shore, anyone?). which is sad.

and the thing is, i don't think we understand it because so many people have different opinions on it -- why we were there, why we stayed there, how we could've gotten out. ask anyone the question of "was the iraq war a good idea?" and they'll have a gut reaction (for me, NO) and then they'll probably say ("but..."). it's the 'but...' where it gets murky. and we don't like murky. so many different problems and politics gumming up our black and white answers. while i have a black and white answer, i couldn't come up with a great debate. i just couldn't.

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the New York Times today does an awesome job summing it up with this slideshow, which i found very powerful. they're coverage in the articles is great too, so if you have time, check those out.

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i remember clearly when the war started, the 'mission accomplished' flub, and the first time i knew someone personally who went over there and got wounded (my first "boyfriend"). my international problems teacher in high school, Mr. Mars, was the one who made me pay attention. he wrote the deaths and the casualties on the board every day -- 60, 75, 81 -- didn't seem like that many to us, we thought. but now, the death toll is roughly 4,500 Americans and far too many iraqis for anyone to get a solid number, and many, many more wounded.

freedom? liberty? democracy?

... i'll have to try and explain this to my kids.

nixon and kinetic sculptures

i can't believe i haven't told you all about the greatest museum (perhaps in the country) but i am now.

i went with little sarah and charita in january, but i remembered its brilliance when i took andrew, alyssa and joy back when they visited.

the American Visionary Art Museum is so badass, i can't begin to tell you. they specialize in "folk art," but it's so much more than that. it's a collaboration of art from people doing great things on the margins of society - in mental institutions, prisons, in their little trailers in north carolina, etc. from giant kinetic sculptures, glass and crystal mosaics, recreations of paintings from the MoMA done in miniature (by a guy in New York in his tiny apartment). basically, it's a celebration of art by individuals that don't normally get recognized. which makes my bleeding heart bleed a bit more.

their current exhibition is called "life liberty and the pursuit of happiness." i cry every time. it's about race, war, stigma, and the people creating brilliant pieces of art about these topics (and in spite of their seemingly dire situations). the exhibit ends soon, but check out some of their art. and if you're in the baltimore/DC area, check it out.

i'm jazzed to see the next exhibit. odds are, i'll cry. again.

also, their gift shop is awesome. it's like they took cast offs of old/quirky promo materials and art books, posters, and (if you're from the tri-cities) The Octupus' Garden crap and put it in a room. i picked up a thermos mug of THE NEW KIDS ON THE BLOCK for one dollar, and then i sent my father an oversized postcard of Richard Nixon.

only at the AVAM, my friends.

side note:

on the postcard i wrote to my father, i mentioned that his statements regarding Nixon as a "f-ing moron" helped me become a politically savvy woman i am today. i was corrected.

my dad: "you got it wrong, Squidly. Nixon was a f--ing WEASEL. Now REAGAN was an f--ing moron."

whew, glad that got cleared up.

irrelevant

i'll be posting pictures and musings from the PHENOMENAL visit to baltimore from alyssa and andrew, but here's a gem from this morning's conversation with my mother.

me: i have a date with door #3 tonight.

mom: oh, who's this? what's his name again? ....or does that not really matter at this point?

me: names are irrelevant until after the third date.

mom: ok, that makes it easier.

shacking up

... at a library again.
alyssa and andrew are coming into town starting on thursday and i cannot be more jazzed. i was talking to andrew last night and we figured out that it's been roughly 3 1/2 years since me, andrew, joy, and alyssa have been in the same room. it doesn't feel like that long, but i suppose it has. crazy.
so, needless to say i'm trying to get everything together in order for me to fully focus on the visitors -- my boss is out of town and without email (so no email checking will happen at midnight for me!) and then...
i got my first freelance writing gig!
the timing, not so much perfect. i have to have a first 3,000 word sample for a textbook chapter on swing era jazz due the 19th. that's in 9 days. 7 of those days my friends are here. alright, weakley, it's go time.
so tomorrow, i'm headed to the Pratt Library to finally get a card (for you and me, alyssa) and hang out for three hours. i'm hoping to be able to start writing at least a little bit and get all the research done.
i can do this.
i think.

new blog

i'm switching to this blog now for the five people that actually read my rantings. it seems as though my old blog has been hacked into by some sort of asian porn (not ideal).

i've been meaning to do this for a while, but haven't gotten around to it until now. i'm stuck in my office alone (after already having worked my hours for the week, mom, don't worry) waiting out this ridiculous thunderstorm here in dc. i am meeting someone for happy hour later and have no umbrella. typical.

anywho, team, that's the update. i'll probably give you all more later when i'm actually on my couch or something.

(oh, big ups to alyssa -- hope you feel better soon and i can't wait to see you! andrew smith might come down to baltimore too. english nerds unite once more -- )