When my brother said that Gaza deserved what the Israelis were doing to them and denied that it was a war, I said:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/7838618.stm

Read this above. Now, I'll admit that Hamas is quite ridiculous at times and has indeed carried out attacks against Israel which is unacceptable. However, the Israeli response was uncalled for. Did you know that Gaza has been blockaded for 18 months with very limited fuel or humanitarian aid allowed in? The only weapons they have are snuck in and are usually homemade. Israel on the other hand has one of the largest and most technologically advanced militaries in the world.  

The final death toll? Over 1300 Palestinians and 13 Israelis, and no, I did not type that incorrectly. Over 100 times more Palestinians died than Israelis. Here's my citation for that source: http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2009/jan/20/gaza-israel-samouni-family

Just ask yourself, is that fair? Is that what we call Justice? To overkill that many people in response to homemade bombs? If this were in any other country, how would you feel? What if over 1300 Israelis died versus 13 Germans? Would that change your point of view?

Think about it.

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I couldn't have said it better myself

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Instructions: Please click on fig. 1.1 and view fig. 1.2 for full comprehension

  fig 1.1

fig 1.2

I came to England hoping for rain, clouds, and the cold. London was surprisingly warmer than expected, but upon my first step into the climate of Coventry, I was assailed by a piercing cold. But I’ve think that I’ve acclimated since I’m still wearing only one layer of clothing rather than three that I was expecting. Over the weekend, I wished for the cold and rain. And today is a wonderfully moody day. Hence, I’m actually writing a blog post, imagine that. (Now if just my other wishes will come true ;)

As I sat with my feet propped up on my desk (see fig. 1.2) and read Salman Rushdie’s Shame, I pondered upon the differences of my uni experience in the UK v the US. How is life going to change upon my return to the states? Will I be satisfied? Am I the same person as 6 months ago?

There are obvious answers to all these (and those not stated, yet lying in the unconscious) questions.

1) I will not be going out every night as I am used to here. I won’t be clubbing two nights a week. I won’t have regular cricket practice. I won’t go to the pub any time that I am bored in the evening. My school will definitely not have sponsored drinking game nights. People won’t contribute to discussions in class as readily (yes, I still am attending classes).

2) But I will still be satisfied I think. This is one of the first weekends here that I have actually stayed and relaxed. It reminds me of spending Saturdays in my room at school with a mocha and my schoolwork. Instead of going to packed, sweaty clubs with cheesy music every other song and virtually no hip-hop, I will be chillin’ with friends at their apartments, solidifying my growing love of Riversidians.

3) I will not be the same person. But I don’t think that this change is due to the process of living in another country; rather, that of simply not dying, thus developing further due to availability of oxygen and nutrients. Of course I’m not the same person as 6 months ago, neither are you, dear reader, although it could be contested that this is not a development, but a degeneration due to entropy. But I digress.

I wanted to conclude with a phrase similar to “two different spheres, two different lives” in reference to the drastic differences between these three months and those upon my re-entry to the states. However, that is too dualistic. There is an infinity of spheres, perhaps to the 23^rd power…

(yes, this started out much more coherent than it finished, I will give you that)

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Wordle.net

Check out this awesome site to have fun with words!

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Sky High

I’m in the air – literally. I don’t know where in particular I’m flying over, probably Northern California or Utah right now. We just turned to the North and the cabin fills with golden sunlight. By golden, I mean that glorious color when the sun has about an hour until it sets. It’s the gold that you have to step outside to be bathed in its beauty no matter what you are doing. I glance out the window and the terrain below looks like a ruffled evening gown – a sage colored satin beneath a delicately sheer teal tulle. Unfortunately, with the direction we’re heading, the sun is setting rapidly. I crane my head now to catch the last glow of the sun before it’s gone over North America. The horizon burns like a cooling ember – no longer on fire, but trying to stay lit for just a moment longer. The evening dress below no longer enchants my eyes; it has turned into the desert it truly is. Where am I in the sky? The sun is gone, only a dull grey remains, like my heart.

-Written on board British Airways Flight 0282 September 16, 2008

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Thank God for the Internet

I'm at a point right now where I can't believe I have actually gotten. I've desired to study abroad in the UK for most of my life. It has been one of those unquestioned goals in life just as college and my Ph.D. have been. The entire past year has been devoted to getting all the necessary paperwork done and setting up a new life in another country. Granted, I'll only be there for 3 months, but so much work was required!

So I'm set to leave today in about 6 hours and this funny thing happened - I'm scared. This is something new for me. Going to college was a breeze and a blast, traveling around the country was a welcome wonder, and living on my own for 3 years has been liberating. This apprehension is something new to me. 

However, I recognize through all of this that I have always had a support base that I could turn to at a moment's notice. This time it won't be there. I don't think that I'm looking forward to being both homesick and heartbroken at the same time.

But as I think about this new and crazy adventure, it's not that I don't have that support base anymore, it'll just be delayed by about 8 hours or so (give or take where in Europe I'll be at the time). So I want to thank you all who decided to stick it out with me; those who have been there for me so faithfully in the past and who value me enough to be there for me even as I'm not present with them.

I'll have Skype for internet calling, I'll still be using facebook, and email will be checked constantly. I love you all and can't wait to tell you about my journeys! Thank God for the Internet!

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Can Google Predict the Future?

I'm sure that you all have at some point googled yourself. I try it out every so often and see if maybe my blog got a little more traffic. I thought to do it the other day when my mom mentioned that someone had apparently stumbled on her blog by searching my name. That intrigued me, especially since the location was from the city my (now) ex-boyfriend lives in.

So I googled myself again. Other than the top searches being "Counting Crows - Goodnight Elisabeth bass tabs," I found three other Elisabeth Basses that were all professors at universities around the country. 

"That's crazy," I thought to myself, "I'm in the process of becoming a professor myself!" I wonder if maybe my name has some sort of psychological quality that makes the bearer of the name more likely to continue in higher education - weird.

So that's it. I'm allowed to write a post about nothing every now and again, right?

...and btw, in regards to the song, I feel a little bit more like the singer instead of the girl walking away.

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