Operation Iraqi Freedom

Right.

My first blog post in over a year and I call it "Operation Iraqi Freedom."

It's just...

It's just...

How could anyone have possibly bought into that? Did anyone really think that the US soldiers would be welcomed as liberators? Maybe they were tired of their government, but I'm sure there are plenty of totalitarian regimes the US could go after.

Oh I don't want to go on about this. It makes me very unhappy. We all need to learn to get along. We need to melt down all our guns and swords and make streetlights. Or wheelchairs. Or cookie sheets. Everyone appreciates these things. People like cookies.

Of course to some extent it is our capitalist society that prevents us from getting along. It's easy for me to say because I have warm chair to sit on and if I didn't, maybe I'd want to kill you and take yours. It's evolution baby!

I don't want to sound like too much of a hippie, but god damn it, we need to love each other. We need to find love for people everywhere. To hell with Machiavelli. Who we need is Dr. King.

The good neighbor looks beyond the external accidents and discerns those inner qualities that make all men human and, therefore, brothers.

Martin Luther King Jr., Strength to Love, 1963

I know I'm not doing enough. I don't want to give up my cushy life. But, as Bill Hicks might say, we need to get off this ride.

Writer's Block

The more you know, the more you know you don't know.
-Aristotle

Does it ever seem like the more knowledge you have, the harder it is to write something? I feel like after all my years of learning that it just gets harder to write something because I know how insufficient it is. I feel like there is now this necessity to be grand and complete.

So nothing is getting done. Every step forward is accompanied by two steps backwards.

I know I can't be everything to everyone, but, dammit, I want to be. I want to be everything to me, at least, and that is becoming more and more demanding a proposition.

I think the answer is inevitably going to be that I just have to start with something. Anything. Then that something will have to be revised and embellished and cut and fucked around until it gets to where it needs to be. But that something has to come from nothing. A lot of nothing.

AAACK!

I'm Alive, How's That?

I think it's safe to assume no one is reading this, except maybe me.

Well you know what happens when you assume, don't you?

So, being alive is an interesting thing -- and it seems to be ALL I'VE got to be.

But how did I get this way? And is there another way I could have been? I didn't ASK to be alive.

I think about Lazarus living (in his afterlife) eternally in the lap of Abraham. It would be nice to always have someone there to cradle you and tell you everything will be alright. But I wouldn't want to have to suffer a tormented life just to live in some dude's lap for eternity.

When you're lost, when you're alone and you can't get back again
I will find you and darling I'll bring you home.
-Sade, By Your Side

So who's going to find me and bring me home? And who's going to watch me die?

Que sera sera, I guess. But I want to know now. I want to be everything -- not just alive. Don't tell me the future's not ours to see. Don't tell me you want to see other futures.

Where to Now?

Hello.

As January winds down, I'm starting to wonder if this blog will survive another month. Will it survive another year? Where will I be in a year? Probably be sitting right here. If you know the answer, don't tell me, anyone. I don't want to know.

I expect some changes will happen before this year concludes. For one, I should graduate from university. This is exciting news, but there are still several mountains to climb before I reach the prize. But I have promises to keep. And miles to go before I sleep.

I'd like to say a little something about Janis Tong. She is super cool and a good friend and probably the only person who reads this blog. Cheers Janis.

Ho ho ho. Well, time for me to do something else. Ciao!

Back Out of the Saddle

A Canal in Amsterdam
Originally uploaded by stevegin_2000.

Well I'm home.

I've been home for almost a month actually, but I haven't bothered to post anything since I was in Amsterdam. Anyhow, Amsterdam is a beautiful, idyllic place that I suggest you visit. Lovely canals, friendly people, nice museums and of course many good times to be had.

Being back home is nice. I'm able to put everything in perspective with the distance of time and space. I really had a fantastic trip and I am already thinking about when I will return.

I haven't done much productive work since I returned home. Mostly just enjoyed myself over the holiday break. It was awesome to see Alex again and keep those record-books fresh.

Now I'm back to school and trying to fall into the academic jetstream. So far it is starting to feel quite familiar.

London Underground

Welcome to My Nightmare
Originally uploaded by stevegin_2000.

I'm in Amsterdam now, trying to reflect on my glorious stay in London, UK.

First off, special thanks to Mr. Alex Wong, for the tremendous and reasonably-priced hospitality. He showed me, again, the sights that ordinary tourists never get to see -- like the cellar-turned-electronic-dance-party that you will see pictured in my gallery. Great night with great mates!

Thanks also to Maria and Nick, for putting up with two extra bodies in your flat and all the inconveniences and mess that causes! I really appreciate it.

Also, it was great to see Mr. Stephen Chu of Extreme CCTV. It was really cool to coincide our travels and meet with someone from the other side. I hope you had a fantastic time -- I did!

Because I saw all these cool things, I didn't have time for all the touristy things that London is famous for. Oh well, as Alex says, "Westminster Abbey will always be there" and London Bridge is, in fact, not falling down -- I actually walked over it and it was very stable indeed. I did get a chance to see the National Gallery, which is probably my favourite art museum, especially for paintings. San Marco and Uffizi in Florence are up there as well, but don't have the variety.

London is a great place to shop and I did my share to support the British economy. Very expensive place for everything, especially when I am paying in CAD. This earthly body is not going to live long enough to regret spending a few extra pounds on this and that. At least I'm spending on food and clothes and not bombs.

We'll see how I handle this next city... it promises to be quite exciting!

Paris in Review

The Eiffel Tower
Originally uploaded by stevegin_2000.

Now that I'm in London, I ought to say a word or two about Paris.

The Orsay Museum was a real highlight. Of the three museums I saw, it was really the most stunning.

The Pompidou centre had only two exhibitions open, one on Dada Art and the other called "The Big Bang", which takes you through a big survey of modern art. I really enjoyed both.

The Louvre was, as expected, huge. I really loved the Italian paintings. I thought the heaps of French paintings were mostly forgettable, except for the Rubens room and maybe a dozen or so others. I'm pretty ethnocentric with the Italians right now, so don't take my word for it.

The Eiffel Tower was fun to ride up and the view was very nice. Something you have to do once in your life.

It was raining in Paris and it is raining in London. Today I'm probably going to go exploring and possibly hit the London National Gallery, because I haven't seen enough museums or art.