At another bar later that night, in the bar part of a Greek
restaurant, I was reading a book for school I had with me, since the bar
was slow, which made the (young) (foreign) waitress ask if I liked to
read.
When I said yes, she was like, "I don't," and said she had only read 10 books in her life.
"Well," I was like, "I hope they were good ones."
"They
were," she was like, and when I asked, she said that 9 were by Danielle
Steele (sp.?), and she can't remember who the other one was by, but it
was good, too.
"Even in school," she was like, "I said, no books, I don't care, give me an F."
Then,
she admitted that a friend gave her a crime novel a few months ago, and
she did read a bit of it, but stopped after the 1st page.
Saturday, October 20, 2012
Friday, October 19, 2012
Commandeered a class: Homer.
My one Czech literature professor friend gave a popular talk at a lunch function in my division, then since she was teaching a gen ed class on the Odyssey next, she asked me to come recite the 1st lines to her class.
I said no at first, because I don't know Homeric Greek, but then I relented.
As we walked over to her class, which was right after the lunch function, I asked if I could make brief remarks about Homer 1st to all the wide-eyed freshmen.
She said yes, so after I introduced myself, I told the kids that everyone wants to read Homer because of cultural baggage.
"How many of you feel like you should read Homer?", I was like. "And, like, the Bible? Like it's something you should know."
Like all the kids raised their hands.
"Okay," I was like, "I want to tell you that there is no Homer out there, and that though people have been reading him for a long time, they've understood him in very different ways, so it's not like you're going to read this once and know it, or even know it the way people across time have known it."
Then, I said I was going to call attention to three points in time.
First, I told them that because of comparative literature studies with Balkan bards, they think these epics were oral compositions spun out along themes where people made use of repetitive formulas, and that it wasn't even a book at some point, then, but more like something you went and enjoyed, "It wasn't HOMER," and that it was more like a really good improvised rap performance, only longer.
Second, I told them about during the time of the Library in Alexandria, people saw Homer as written by a single person who was the end-all and be-all and put everything in the world in the text.
"You like know those New Age people who are like, 'I follow quantum physics'?", I was like. "Like the other day, I saw an interview with Madonna, and someone emailed in a question what science she follows, and she was totally like, 'I follow quantum physics,' and she sees stuff like, 'Stuff isn't what it seems,' embedded into all of society and the universe. Back then, these scholars totally thought Homer was up on philosophical theories of science, and told all about this stuff in his text, and you could find that out through allegory, because he was HOMER."
Then, lastly, I told them that after the American Revolution, people debated the utility of knowing Latin and Greek, and many said you shouldn't learn Homer or any other ancient text, since any knowledge in them had since been superceded in individual disciplines, and that it was better to learn a living language anyhow.
"So it's not like there was this one Homer that people read and thought about the same way for the past 3000 years," I was like.
I was then going to tell them that it was better to forget Homer and always question tradition and burn the libraries down, but my Czech literature professor friend gave me the eye and I stopped and read the first several lines of the Odyssey, and she thanked me and said she had a lot of things to cover in class today.
Later, I realized, too, that I meant to tell the kids that Homeric Greek was a jumble of odd words and forms, kind of like easier than Chaucer but harder than Shakespeare (to use English comparisons), so even when you read a translation, you get no sense of the specialized knowledge you had to have to read it, for much of the text's history.
I said no at first, because I don't know Homeric Greek, but then I relented.
As we walked over to her class, which was right after the lunch function, I asked if I could make brief remarks about Homer 1st to all the wide-eyed freshmen.
She said yes, so after I introduced myself, I told the kids that everyone wants to read Homer because of cultural baggage.
"How many of you feel like you should read Homer?", I was like. "And, like, the Bible? Like it's something you should know."
Like all the kids raised their hands.
"Okay," I was like, "I want to tell you that there is no Homer out there, and that though people have been reading him for a long time, they've understood him in very different ways, so it's not like you're going to read this once and know it, or even know it the way people across time have known it."
Then, I said I was going to call attention to three points in time.
First, I told them that because of comparative literature studies with Balkan bards, they think these epics were oral compositions spun out along themes where people made use of repetitive formulas, and that it wasn't even a book at some point, then, but more like something you went and enjoyed, "It wasn't HOMER," and that it was more like a really good improvised rap performance, only longer.
Second, I told them about during the time of the Library in Alexandria, people saw Homer as written by a single person who was the end-all and be-all and put everything in the world in the text.
"You like know those New Age people who are like, 'I follow quantum physics'?", I was like. "Like the other day, I saw an interview with Madonna, and someone emailed in a question what science she follows, and she was totally like, 'I follow quantum physics,' and she sees stuff like, 'Stuff isn't what it seems,' embedded into all of society and the universe. Back then, these scholars totally thought Homer was up on philosophical theories of science, and told all about this stuff in his text, and you could find that out through allegory, because he was HOMER."
Then, lastly, I told them that after the American Revolution, people debated the utility of knowing Latin and Greek, and many said you shouldn't learn Homer or any other ancient text, since any knowledge in them had since been superceded in individual disciplines, and that it was better to learn a living language anyhow.
"So it's not like there was this one Homer that people read and thought about the same way for the past 3000 years," I was like.
I was then going to tell them that it was better to forget Homer and always question tradition and burn the libraries down, but my Czech literature professor friend gave me the eye and I stopped and read the first several lines of the Odyssey, and she thanked me and said she had a lot of things to cover in class today.
Later, I realized, too, that I meant to tell the kids that Homeric Greek was a jumble of odd words and forms, kind of like easier than Chaucer but harder than Shakespeare (to use English comparisons), so even when you read a translation, you get no sense of the specialized knowledge you had to have to read it, for much of the text's history.
Thursday, October 18, 2012
Debate Night! (2 of 2): Fellow volunteer.
There's this one (hispanic) biology grad student who I've met on campus and who I know through friends, and for some reason when I ask people I know if they'd be interested in volunteering in Wisconsin, he's been the only person who's wanted to.
Two times ago when I went, he was changing apartments, and last time when I went, his girlfriend was moving apartments, but he joined me and my other friends to watch the debate last night, and he said he was serious about going with me to volunteer on Sat., and he's even recruited someone I know who he's much better friends with.
"I want to know more about politics," he was like, explaining part of why he was going with me. "So I don't think I have enough to really talk with voters yet, I need to do some research before I go, so I know the policies and can talk with people."
I then told him that part of it was knowing some policies, but most of it was finding out the person at the door's issues, telling your personal story and why you support the candidate, and then relating your story to the person at the door's situation.
I then told him my spiel: My big issue is the economy, it's not where we want it yet, but Obama has proven leadership and saved the auto industry when Romney said "Let Detroit Go Bankrupt," which would have been catastrophic for the Detroit area where my family lives and then the tourist jobs in the part of the state where I grew up, since "there wouldn't be any more tourists."
"So why are you a Democrat?", I was like.
"Well," he was like, "I just know I'm supposed to be, but a lot of it is because they're progressive, they're pro-gay, they try to do the right thing by immigration, and I don't know the particulars, but I know they support the lower and middle class, not the upper class."
First off, I warned him that people read things differently, so to say that the Democrats are for everyone, while Republicans are for the "mega-rich".
"Remember," I was like, "If you go to a nicer house and it's a dual income couple, they might be making $150,000 a year, and see themselves as part of an upper class mooched off by lazy brown people."
Then, I asked him what his biography was, and it turns out that his parents were refugees from El Salvador in 1979, are now citizens, and his dad's a mechanic and his mom works for the local school district.
"What job?", I was like.
"School cafeteria," he was like.
Then, I asked him if either had gone to college, and neither had.
"So how did you end up doing a Ph.D.?", I was like.
He said there was a program to expose youth who went to public schools to science careers and encourage them, and he then went to a community college and then a state university, and things took off from there.
Then, again in response to my question, he said he studies prostate cancer.
"That is an awesome story," I was like. "Voters may never have met someone like you, here's what you say: my parents are refugees and never went to college, one's a mechanic and the other works in a cafeteria, but because of science programs and strong public education from community colleges, I'm finishing my Ph.D. in immunology and fighting against cancer, and what I'm doing will help people and develop new drugs and technologies and help make our economy strong. Then, say there's a lot of rhetoric that divides people, but every child deserves opportunities to develop their talents, and the whole country will be better off, and that's why you took a day to go volunteer for Barack Obama."
Then, I added, "Especially if you're talking with young moms, they're going to want their kids to be as successful as you."
He said he wanted to write that down, and had wondered if people would even open the door for him, since he's hispanic and has braids.
"I was thinking of dressing up," he was like, "Not like all Mormon with a tie, but a little nicer than usual, so people will open the door."
He also said he was wondering if there would be black or hispanic neighborhoods he could volunteer in - and he's fluent in Spanish!
I'm def. going to check on that when I call to RSVP for volunteering this Sat.
Two times ago when I went, he was changing apartments, and last time when I went, his girlfriend was moving apartments, but he joined me and my other friends to watch the debate last night, and he said he was serious about going with me to volunteer on Sat., and he's even recruited someone I know who he's much better friends with.
"I want to know more about politics," he was like, explaining part of why he was going with me. "So I don't think I have enough to really talk with voters yet, I need to do some research before I go, so I know the policies and can talk with people."
I then told him that part of it was knowing some policies, but most of it was finding out the person at the door's issues, telling your personal story and why you support the candidate, and then relating your story to the person at the door's situation.
I then told him my spiel: My big issue is the economy, it's not where we want it yet, but Obama has proven leadership and saved the auto industry when Romney said "Let Detroit Go Bankrupt," which would have been catastrophic for the Detroit area where my family lives and then the tourist jobs in the part of the state where I grew up, since "there wouldn't be any more tourists."
"So why are you a Democrat?", I was like.
"Well," he was like, "I just know I'm supposed to be, but a lot of it is because they're progressive, they're pro-gay, they try to do the right thing by immigration, and I don't know the particulars, but I know they support the lower and middle class, not the upper class."
First off, I warned him that people read things differently, so to say that the Democrats are for everyone, while Republicans are for the "mega-rich".
"Remember," I was like, "If you go to a nicer house and it's a dual income couple, they might be making $150,000 a year, and see themselves as part of an upper class mooched off by lazy brown people."
Then, I asked him what his biography was, and it turns out that his parents were refugees from El Salvador in 1979, are now citizens, and his dad's a mechanic and his mom works for the local school district.
"What job?", I was like.
"School cafeteria," he was like.
Then, I asked him if either had gone to college, and neither had.
"So how did you end up doing a Ph.D.?", I was like.
He said there was a program to expose youth who went to public schools to science careers and encourage them, and he then went to a community college and then a state university, and things took off from there.
Then, again in response to my question, he said he studies prostate cancer.
"That is an awesome story," I was like. "Voters may never have met someone like you, here's what you say: my parents are refugees and never went to college, one's a mechanic and the other works in a cafeteria, but because of science programs and strong public education from community colleges, I'm finishing my Ph.D. in immunology and fighting against cancer, and what I'm doing will help people and develop new drugs and technologies and help make our economy strong. Then, say there's a lot of rhetoric that divides people, but every child deserves opportunities to develop their talents, and the whole country will be better off, and that's why you took a day to go volunteer for Barack Obama."
Then, I added, "Especially if you're talking with young moms, they're going to want their kids to be as successful as you."
He said he wanted to write that down, and had wondered if people would even open the door for him, since he's hispanic and has braids.
"I was thinking of dressing up," he was like, "Not like all Mormon with a tie, but a little nicer than usual, so people will open the door."
He also said he was wondering if there would be black or hispanic neighborhoods he could volunteer in - and he's fluent in Spanish!
I'm def. going to check on that when I call to RSVP for volunteering this Sat.
Wednesday, October 17, 2012
Debate Night! (1 of 2): Bar comment.
The one woman who preached to me and made me cry after Obama's DNC speech was at the student bar last night to watch the 2nd debate, and every once in a while she'd make a loud comment at the TV that everyone could hear, since the front room was pretty much quiet...
Me and my friends and a friend's aging hippie mother were at a table like 10 feet away from her, and so we could hear her too.
When Romney said straight out that he supported a woman's right to contraception, she was like, "Oh oh oh, he just stepped on his dick."
At that me and my one friend with the aging hippie mother looked at each other, like, "What?".
Later, someone said that they heard her say, "He just stepped on his neck."
In either case, we took it to mean that Romney tripped up and produced a new soundbite that could be played against something he said the previous week.
Later, my one friend's aging hippie mother said that the anti-Islam video that caused protests across the Middle east had dropped out of the news and we still don't know enough about the people who did it.
"It's a plant," she was like. "I'm afraid more stuff like this will come out in the next 3 weeks, they're going to be crazy."
At that, I looked at her, and she was like, "You don't believe me, but I've lived through that before, when the CIA infiltrated protests. People don't like to think that this stuff happens."
. . .
Today, I saw my one friend who studies Czech literature and used to go to the student bar a lot, and told her about the bar comment.
"Was that [the black woman's name]?", she was like.
And it was!
Me and my friends and a friend's aging hippie mother were at a table like 10 feet away from her, and so we could hear her too.
When Romney said straight out that he supported a woman's right to contraception, she was like, "Oh oh oh, he just stepped on his dick."
At that me and my one friend with the aging hippie mother looked at each other, like, "What?".
Later, someone said that they heard her say, "He just stepped on his neck."
In either case, we took it to mean that Romney tripped up and produced a new soundbite that could be played against something he said the previous week.
Later, my one friend's aging hippie mother said that the anti-Islam video that caused protests across the Middle east had dropped out of the news and we still don't know enough about the people who did it.
"It's a plant," she was like. "I'm afraid more stuff like this will come out in the next 3 weeks, they're going to be crazy."
At that, I looked at her, and she was like, "You don't believe me, but I've lived through that before, when the CIA infiltrated protests. People don't like to think that this stuff happens."
. . .
Today, I saw my one friend who studies Czech literature and used to go to the student bar a lot, and told her about the bar comment.
"Was that [the black woman's name]?", she was like.
And it was!
Tuesday, October 16, 2012
Memories of Bars (1 of 3): Czech-Polish bar.
Like a weekend ago, I was at the bar in this one Czech-Polish restaurant on the city's far western border.
The waitress came up and said something to me in Polish, to which I responded in Polish, "I hardly speak Polish, I am not a Polishman," at which point she switched to English.
Later, the (older) (male) bartender came up to see if I'd been served and spoke to me in Polish again.
Neither was warm, though the woman was nice when I asked her to help with pronouncing the phrase "I harldy speak Polish, I am not a Polishman" right before I left, then ended by saying "thank you and good night" in Polish.
At a bar the previous week, a (young) (Russian) bartender had assumed I was Polish as well, and in the past practically monolingual Mexicans (to the point where I have to speak to them in Spanish!) have tried out their "hello, how are you?"-type phrases in Polish on me.
I had never realized how much I look Polish from that half of the family, because I usually dwell on my Hungarian cheekbones and hairline.
The waitress came up and said something to me in Polish, to which I responded in Polish, "I hardly speak Polish, I am not a Polishman," at which point she switched to English.
Later, the (older) (male) bartender came up to see if I'd been served and spoke to me in Polish again.
Neither was warm, though the woman was nice when I asked her to help with pronouncing the phrase "I harldy speak Polish, I am not a Polishman" right before I left, then ended by saying "thank you and good night" in Polish.
At a bar the previous week, a (young) (Russian) bartender had assumed I was Polish as well, and in the past practically monolingual Mexicans (to the point where I have to speak to them in Spanish!) have tried out their "hello, how are you?"-type phrases in Polish on me.
I had never realized how much I look Polish from that half of the family, because I usually dwell on my Hungarian cheekbones and hairline.
Monday, October 15, 2012
Fellow volunteers.
At school I try to wear my Obama button, which I have found endears me to many of the staff.
I had to pop into the office of the one (early 50s) (very dignified) (English-born) assistant dean, and then after I took care of some paperwork stuff she started talking about how she volunteered for Obama in Indiana back in 2008.
"They would say," she said as she always does, very slowly and deliberately and in her English accent, "'They must be in serious trouble, if they are importing help like that.' I was forced to tell everyone that I was indeed a citizen."
She then said since Indiana isn't really competitive, she hasn't volunteered.
"There's always Iowa," I was like, "If you go on a trip."
"But that's a bit too far," she was like.
"No it's not," I was like. "Bring your Harley to work, and 5pm Friday just hit the open road and you'll be there in no time."
I had to pop into the office of the one (early 50s) (very dignified) (English-born) assistant dean, and then after I took care of some paperwork stuff she started talking about how she volunteered for Obama in Indiana back in 2008.
"They would say," she said as she always does, very slowly and deliberately and in her English accent, "'They must be in serious trouble, if they are importing help like that.' I was forced to tell everyone that I was indeed a citizen."
She then said since Indiana isn't really competitive, she hasn't volunteered.
"There's always Iowa," I was like, "If you go on a trip."
"But that's a bit too far," she was like.
"No it's not," I was like. "Bring your Harley to work, and 5pm Friday just hit the open road and you'll be there in no time."
Sunday, October 14, 2012
Addendum Addendum.
My big tactic I'm using this time is if I'm talking with an undermotivated young person who was a first time voter in 2008 but isn't sure if they want to go to the polls, is to hype up Wisc. Senatorial candidate Tammy Baldwin, and then drop in at the end, "And I just found out last week that she's a lesbian."
At that, people perk up, and I'm like, "Yeah, this is a historic election, if you vote for her, you'll be able to say the rest of your life that you voted for her, when you see her name in history books."
Then, I'm like, "Heck, her name is already in history books, what we're talking about actually is if she gets enough support, it will be bolded in them," and I make a little motion like I'm highlighting words in a high school history textbook right in front of me.
It's amazing how enthused that gets young people.
One 20-year old white guy who's living at home with his parents was a bit psyched, so I gave him the lit on Baldwin, and was like, "As a reminder, so you remember who she is," and I put it against my clipboard and drew two interlocking female symbols next to her face on the brochure. "Lesbian."
This other pale, kind of fat mid-20something girl with a lock of Koolaid red hair and all black clothes also was psyched, and I was like, "Hey, it's something you can tell your kids when they're older and people look back on this," as they were running around on the porch with some neighbor children.
I think you can only really say stuff like that with people you peg as liberals but seem undermotivated.
At that, people perk up, and I'm like, "Yeah, this is a historic election, if you vote for her, you'll be able to say the rest of your life that you voted for her, when you see her name in history books."
Then, I'm like, "Heck, her name is already in history books, what we're talking about actually is if she gets enough support, it will be bolded in them," and I make a little motion like I'm highlighting words in a high school history textbook right in front of me.
It's amazing how enthused that gets young people.
One 20-year old white guy who's living at home with his parents was a bit psyched, so I gave him the lit on Baldwin, and was like, "As a reminder, so you remember who she is," and I put it against my clipboard and drew two interlocking female symbols next to her face on the brochure. "Lesbian."
This other pale, kind of fat mid-20something girl with a lock of Koolaid red hair and all black clothes also was psyched, and I was like, "Hey, it's something you can tell your kids when they're older and people look back on this," as they were running around on the porch with some neighbor children.
I think you can only really say stuff like that with people you peg as liberals but seem undermotivated.
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