Right before I left on my cruise, my aunt asked me if I had a passport. Of course, I replied. I have studied abroad. I would like to be prepared in the event that I A) need to leave the country in a hurry, or B) find some incredible, last minute travel deal that is too good to pass up. Neither of which have occurred as of yet, but one never knows.
Apparently with all of the DHS and TSA and other annoying acronym-using agencies trying to weed out the terrorists, they are cracking on people coming in from Mexico and Canada who, until yesterday, could come in with their birth certificates. And these are only the people who are flying - everyone coming by car or bus or boat (presuming they are coming legally, of course) can still use their birth certificate or driver's license. All the experts are worried about the impact it will have on tourism, because passports are apparently prohibitively expensive (mine was $60 a couple of years ago...and in light of all the 13 year olds I see with iPods, I somehow find the expense argument a little hard to swallow).
So all of this is mostly to say: SUCK IT UP AND GET A PASSPORT. I find it disgraceful that so few Americans have them (around 20%, based on the range of statistics I could find). Get off your lazy asses and pretend that you have some interest in other cultures. Or at least in cultures that allow you to have a fruity drink with an umbrella (and just so you know, if you add an "o" to the English word, i.e. a "seabreeze-o", that's not Spanish). It's much better to actually interact with people from other places, but honestly, if you will even make it to another country, even one that is so white-washed you might as well be in Disneyworld, I'll take it. You have to start somewhere, right?
Thursday, January 18, 2007
Monday, January 08, 2007
Last Night Was Fun
Someone said this to me, in front of a big group of people:
"I understand what you're saying, but I get sort of nervous when you're telling me things, because I feel that while you're talking, it's like your hands are also telling me something really important that I'm missing. Like your friend is drowning in lake and needs help. And I don't know whatever sort of crazy sign language you're using, so I'm letting the friend drown. And then I also miss whatever it is you're telling me with actual words, because I'm really worried about your friend." Hysterical laughter ensued. I'm a hand-talker, no apologies for that :).
We had some really intense U2 discussions. If you want to endear yourself to me in a quick fashion, just be able to discuss random U2 trivia, or obscure songs that only hardcore fans would know, or similar. I mean, I won't rule you out as a friend if you don't know a thing about the band at all, but an abiding love for all things U2 at the beginning of our friendship will get you big bonus points.
On the drive home, I heard a favorite song on the radio, which I promptly cranked up and sang along to. It makes me want a blue-eyed boy so at least half of the lyrics will be true. If you catch that reference, are a blue-eyed boy, and like really talkative girls that gesture wildly when story telling*... um, call me?
*I choose to believe that someone will one day find it charming and not annoying. We shall see...
"I understand what you're saying, but I get sort of nervous when you're telling me things, because I feel that while you're talking, it's like your hands are also telling me something really important that I'm missing. Like your friend is drowning in lake and needs help. And I don't know whatever sort of crazy sign language you're using, so I'm letting the friend drown. And then I also miss whatever it is you're telling me with actual words, because I'm really worried about your friend." Hysterical laughter ensued. I'm a hand-talker, no apologies for that :).
We had some really intense U2 discussions. If you want to endear yourself to me in a quick fashion, just be able to discuss random U2 trivia, or obscure songs that only hardcore fans would know, or similar. I mean, I won't rule you out as a friend if you don't know a thing about the band at all, but an abiding love for all things U2 at the beginning of our friendship will get you big bonus points.
On the drive home, I heard a favorite song on the radio, which I promptly cranked up and sang along to. It makes me want a blue-eyed boy so at least half of the lyrics will be true. If you catch that reference, are a blue-eyed boy, and like really talkative girls that gesture wildly when story telling*... um, call me?
*I choose to believe that someone will one day find it charming and not annoying. We shall see...
Wednesday, January 03, 2007
Oh, little blog, I have been woefully neglectful of you. Often (well, every now and then) I think, "I should write about this in my blog" but then that thought is always followed by another, "Meh. I don't feel like it." And here we are, the entire month of December passed by with nary an entry.
I mean, stuff DID happen in December. I went on a cruise, which was pretty cool. And no, I did not get a tan because some things are just against the laws of nature. I did buy some fun things, and ate a lot, and was so relaxed by the end that my whole body felt like one giant noodle. I also went to my parents' for Christmas, which was great, albeit crowded. I ate a lot (again) and did some crazy power yoga with my mom and Sarah (and Holly and anyone else the yoga-crazies could rope into it). And when it was time to come back to DC, I was feeling a little mopey at having to leave my family and sad because they live so far away...but then I got back and was driving down Rock Creek Parkway (best drive in DC) and it opens up onto the Potomac River right next to the Kennedy Center, and I thought it was also nice to be home here too. So recent stats: heart is 2/3 in Texas, 1/3 still in Virginia. I'm such a dork. If only I knew what I wanted to be when I grow up - that might make future planning REMARKABLY easier.
So anyway, Happy New Year to you all. Hope you smooched someone fantastic, or had some champagne, or at the very least played dominos and drank red wine with your family like I did. It was a rockin' good time (with no sarcasm at all! Really!).
I mean, stuff DID happen in December. I went on a cruise, which was pretty cool. And no, I did not get a tan because some things are just against the laws of nature. I did buy some fun things, and ate a lot, and was so relaxed by the end that my whole body felt like one giant noodle. I also went to my parents' for Christmas, which was great, albeit crowded. I ate a lot (again) and did some crazy power yoga with my mom and Sarah (and Holly and anyone else the yoga-crazies could rope into it). And when it was time to come back to DC, I was feeling a little mopey at having to leave my family and sad because they live so far away...but then I got back and was driving down Rock Creek Parkway (best drive in DC) and it opens up onto the Potomac River right next to the Kennedy Center, and I thought it was also nice to be home here too. So recent stats: heart is 2/3 in Texas, 1/3 still in Virginia. I'm such a dork. If only I knew what I wanted to be when I grow up - that might make future planning REMARKABLY easier.
So anyway, Happy New Year to you all. Hope you smooched someone fantastic, or had some champagne, or at the very least played dominos and drank red wine with your family like I did. It was a rockin' good time (with no sarcasm at all! Really!).
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