Anti-Tsunami

All these interesting developments. Which to highlight?

I guess I’ll start with the fact that I’ve had a hard time answering the question, "how are things going?" lately. This is either because (1) the nuances in my life and thought processes in my head are more interesting than the big picture things (like I’m not working towards anything discrete), and/or (2) my life is consistently colorful and eventful, to the extent that I have become desensitized to what other’s would find important or relevant to their question.

Birthday

My birthday came and went. I stated my former age (26) every chance I could the week before I turned 27. Feels old, but not in a dramatic way. I also celebrated more than I ever had before — if felt like a birthday season. I got many cards and some stellar gifts, which included a beautiful scarf hand-sewn by a cast member of my favorite show, Starting Over (in Macalester colors). I also got lots of wine (including some from South Africa), Duncan Sheik tickets (which was the 2nd best I have been to; in the opening act they had a guy, Jim Boggia who sang a song about West Hartford), and a primo DVD player, which is making me contemplate reestablishing a Netflix account. Even Steve got me a gift - chilaquiles remo from Los Jarritos. My largest party was held at Mills College - at President Holmgren’s mansion - and 50 people came and it was catered, and just awesome. (The hardest part is thanking someone for something so generous. I shipped out some "Thank You" wild salmon from Alaska.) To add to these festivities, my sister took me to a killer restaurant, Cafe Kati, and Josh, Gabi, and Andrea prepared me a vegan feast (save for Andrea’s guava cheesecake). Josh and Gabi also wrote me a moving haiku, which I will share with you later. Relatedly, my mom wrote me a really touching letter, which made me feel bad after I railed she and my sister for not buying me presents, but giving me money. Then she reminded me of the hissy fit I threw when she bought me an electronic toothbrush. She can never win with me. It’s true. 

Lahore Birthday

Jill and I threw a surprise birthday party for our favorite Indian restauranteur, Guddu, complete with a card and party hats. It was a jolly good time. I bought him an incredible chocolate tower cake from Delessio’s and about 20 people came, including Adeel, who I hadn’t seen in a while (and who tried to get me to purchase a commercial loan.) Guddu was so moved. The whole restaurant participated in singing for him and eating the cake. It felt like such a community there. I can’t describe it anymore.

Compassionate capitalist

I love being a conscientious consumer. I was upset with the Sprint-Nextel merger, having transitioned from Sprint to Nextel because of customer service concerns (and the free incoming calls). I wanted a new phone because my battery was running low after two years of use. Sprint charges existing customers an upgrade fee, which made me livid. There was no way to complain but to pen a letter. So, I wrote a passionate one. Now I got a free phone of my choice. My new phone retails at $500, and has infrared technology and a camcorder with lighting. Go Andrew.

Shaleeta

My friend Shaleeta came to visit. We did all sorts of fun things, like we had a slumber party, and we went to Glide and she totally dug it. (There were actually taping the service for some NBC reality show that is coming out.) We were also approached by two very nice prostitutes in my area. Very cool and pleasant woman who has overcome just about every barrier in society to get to where she is. (She needs to get out of York, PA!) But, she is the farrest thing from being a victim. She is another law graduate who doesn’t want to do the law thang.  We saw an excellent movie together at the Lumiere, Boys of Baraka, about inner-city youth in Baltimore. (Also, everybody reading this should watch the documentary "Rize" about the clown movement in South LA. Just shut-up and trust me. I think I might see "Transamerica" tonight.)

Victimization

I am sick of victimization and think that’s one of the biggest problems plaguing the privileged. Every person thinks they have it the worst, or at the very least, that they deserve better. But, it’s all a matter of perspective. I have news: there is no formula for actually measuring your happiness against other people’s. (1) We have no way of knowing how other people are reacting to their circumstances (even if they are reacting well externally), and (2) We have no idea what other people’s circumstances really are because people lie. So, in the end, we just have to make the best of the circumstances we’ve been doled out, and try to cater our circumstances to what is most conducive to developing that perspective. Critical thinking and options allow us to hyperanalyze our circumstances. Let’s relish those things rather than make them culprits for misery.

Anita

Controversially, I have been hanging out with Anita from yesteryear and it has been just plain good. It’s pretty incredible how long it’s been. She seems so centered, healthy, it’s just a breath of fresh air to let go of your past. (I think this is the root of cancer.) I was so nervous to see her that my heart was pounding in anticipation. And, it wasn’t anticlimactic, but rather powerful in how comfortable we were, because we were able to be honest and open with each other without going overboard. I think her moving to LA is the best thing for us. Weirdly, the day after I first saw her (on my birthday), I was walking down the street and I heard my name being uttered in the 3rd person by a familiar voice. She was behind me, 3 feet away from me talking about our meeting the day before. Total synchronicity.

Economics

I went out with Anita and Vijay, Jeff and Jason to Zeitgeist and Martunis. We had a strangely highly charged political and philosophical discussion about funding for education and the arts, the nature of economics, sweatshop labor. I mean it escalated. There was finger pointing and such. After Jeff yelled extremely loudly, civility ensued. I am glad to have participated in it, though I found it frustrating.  Jeff slept on the couch after a 2 hour long enlightening conversation. Poignantly, he asked me how many healthy friendships I had. Honestly, since I’ve been here, I think the vast majority of my relationships have been healthier than anything I’ve had in the past.

Singing

At Martunis, I performed "If I Loved You" from Carousel. I need a new song. I have mastered this song and it’s just too easy. I think I am going to continue private vocal coaching just to develop a new signature song. I think I am going to take a break from ACT classes, because I can. I want to crave singing again (and my current class is a little too big for my tastes). In the Fall, I want to get some headshots, and try out for some local musicals. Jill invited me to sing and she and Chris’s wedding. I am psyched! (Their wedding sounds hella cool). I also think I want to try out for the next American Idol and sing Queen’s "We are the Champions". I can kick ass on it.

20/20

I was a little under the weather so I went out for Morroccan with Teresa (where the mint tea flows freely, and you get doused in rose water if you’re bad). Stayed home and watched 20/20. Learned all this stuff I have to share with you, like: carbs should have 2 grams of fiber for every 100 calories, brown bread is no better for you, brown rice IS better than white rice, brown sugar and turbinado are no better for you than refined white sugar, coffee experts don’t know anything about coffee (Starbucks is, however, the most highly rated coffee), there is no such thing as a sugar high; it is all psychological, and figure  skating is incredibly dangerous because ice skating technology is so outdated. Tara Lipinsky, former gold medalist, had a hip replacement like an 80-year old, and is never skating again. Boycott figure skating in Vancouver (or protest for better skate technology)!

Fun stuff:

Here is this really interesting exercise that will help me know more about how my perceptions of myself relate to your perceptions of me.

http://kevan.org/johari?name=Andrew+Kaufteil

I learned about a guy, Jim Kramer who hosts a show on CNBS called "Mad Money." If you have cable, watch it. I might join the gym just so I can. I now have a diversified stock portfolio, which includes Trader Joes, ING, Motorola, Toyota, and General Electric. I am also obsessed with looking up home values on zillow.com, which integrates the best of Google Earth and county property appraiser’s websites.

The last site I will entice you with is the Implicit Association Tests, which I read about in Blink. It is apparently the best way to gauge your biases against every oppressed group out there. Apparantly, I am no bias for or against gay people, and despite my Israel trip, I have a slight bias toward Jews over non-Jews. Do it.

https://implicit.harvard.edu/implicit/demo/measureyourattitudes.html

Parking Lot:

- I keep on bumping into people. I feel like I am at college. A very big college. Like on Friday, I was just telling Teresa how I bump into people and I bumped into 3 people within 3 minutes.

- I am headed to Seattle this weekend. Cara and Josh and hiking in Olympia! Yippee.

- Josh is staying with me for a week while he is in transition. He is getting a piece published by the NY Times. Good follow-up to the Utne Reader. He is also involved in Lila. In sum, he is badass.

- I am planning lots of road trips in the near future: Tahoe, Portland, Disneyland. I need a Dole Whip. Also, other trips planned include Texas and Minnesota between now and July. I am ready for MN.

- On the way home from the aforesaid Duncan concert, the Yemenese cabbie asked me so many questions about grammar, that my head was spinning. We were parked for 10 minutes in front of my house while I was trying to explain to him the difference between "assess" and "recess." I have so many cab stories.

- Andrea won tickets to see the Putnam County Spelling Bee, which are seeing this week. Because of this, Steve has challenged me to a spelling bee. Apparently, we both won our respective high school spelling bees. This was my shining accomplishment during my freshman year of high school.

- I enjoy the Starbucks cinnamon dolce latte a lot. Too much in fact.

- I went to another one of those paddling parties, which I enjoy, but not too much, in fact. (met a law school friend’s roommate from college).

- Introduced a cool alum of the school where I work to my old firm. Hijinks ensued which verified my feelings about said firm. I have had two dreams about it since.

- Eve, Marina, and Rakhee are the best roommate trio.

- If you haven’t visited, you should. We’re getting old.