tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30218842911348530482024-03-04T22:05:22.105-06:00We're moving to a new home!We're moving to a new place... but the agent provocateur lives on! I'll keep this blog up as an archive, but you can now find my thoughts at elpatronhimself.net.el patron himself, Dr. Raúl A. Morahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07874252858044754446noreply@blogger.comBlogger17125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3021884291134853048.post-6690903179667310302013-12-05T20:46:00.001-06:002013-12-05T20:50:23.212-06:00Seven Billion Ways to Start a Revolution: A tribute to Nelson Mandela<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #f1c232; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Greetings to all my friends and bloggers around the world... yes, The Doctor of Patronomics has returned... you know what that means... tell it Martin Lawrence...</span></div>
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<span style="color: #f1c232; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">It has been two years since my last post, and my life keeps rolling. Teaching, marriage, life projects, grading, homework, publishing... all those things have kept me busy and they have fueled my fire and my "kung-fu".</span></div>
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<span style="color: #f1c232; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Tonight I decided to return to this blog, revamp it, tweak the title a little bit as a tribute to a great man who just left this earth: NELSON MANDELA. Nelson Mandela, former political prisoner, South African President, Nobel Peace Prize winner, and all-around epic human being, left a hole in our souls today when he passed away. He was an example of "putting your money (and your life) where your mouth is", a man whose actions spoke as loudly as his words. His legacy is too big to describe in one blog, and too powerful just to talk about it. </span></div>
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<span style="color: #f1c232; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Mandela was all about social justice, as were many others who walked that road less traveled that he did. He believed that freedom was about one's piece of mind, and he believed in education as a game-changer.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #f1c232; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I haven't stopped believing that education can change the game; that's why I haven't lost my faith and my desire after doing this for 20 years already; that's why I wake up every day to work and try to make a difference; that's what I teach <i>what I teach</i> and <i>how I teach</i>. I still believe, as Taylor Mali once said, that I can "make a goddamn difference" and with God as my witness, the day I don't believe that, I might as well hand in my resignation because I'll harm my students by not giving them an excellent teacher.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #f1c232; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Mandela was a revolutionary, not necessarily the Rolex-and-fatigues-combo type, mind you, but a revolutionary nonetheless. He was a freedom fighter, but not in the way some Danish groups have romanticized them in t-shirts and DJ mixes. He was a man of action through policy and politics, contrary to some politicians elsewhere who forgot what Braveheart's William Wallace said, </span><span style="color: #f1c232; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">"There is a difference between us. You think the people of this country exist to provide you with position. I think your position exists to provide those people with freedom."</span></div>
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<span style="color: #f1c232; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 19.1875px;">This leads me back to the title of this blog: <i>Seven billion ways to start a revolution... </i>but before this, a musical interlude by Ms. Tracy Chapman:</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 19.1875px;"><span style="color: #f1c232;">Ok, after this, let's get into the heart of the matter: Mandela, like others before him (and hopefully many more after him), taught us that there are many ways to start a revolution. While some of them may start or end in uprising, as was the case of the Arab Spring, or in protests, as they did in the Occupy movement, there are many other forms of revolution available. I want for a moment to focus on the "whispers" that Ms. Chapman was talking about. You see, those are the most meaningful ones, the little revolutions that start in the workplace, in the classroom, at home even. Reloading Gil Scott-Herron (whom I've cited </span><a href="http://elpatronsthoughts.blogspot.com/2009/04/getting-my-funk-back-and-catching-virus.html"><span style="color: #cc0000;">in previous thoughts</span></a><span style="color: #f1c232;">), I would like to revisit my initial thought: Big-size revolutions will be all over Facebook, Twitter, and other outlets... the smaller ones will not, but we need those small-size revolutions to effect some real change around us.</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 19.1875px;"><span style="color: #f1c232;">What revolutions am I talking about? Those we can make wearing a suit and tie, as I once told my students. The smallest revolutions are those about acting with a strong moral compass, with a sense of not looking at other until I wonder what that soft surface I'm stepping on is, with a sense of ethics. Those revolutions are about not being a douche and avoid leaving your litter all over the place, or about not cutting off people or cars in a long line. These revolutions are about being a "</span><a href="http://knowyourmeme.com/memes/good-guy-greg"><span style="color: #cc0000;">Good Guy Greg</span></a><span style="color: #f1c232;">" (citing the famous meme) on a daily basis. These little revolutions are about those who recycle, or pick up their mess, or do not try to cheat their way out of a paper, </span><i style="color: #f1c232;">even if seemingly everybody around them does the opposite. </i><span style="color: #f1c232;">Revolutionary people always "think outside the box" and "go against the grain".</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 19.1875px;"><span style="color: #f1c232;">And sometimes it happens that these tiny revolutions lead to bigger ones. We hear examples about folks painting bike paths, as folks in </span><a href="http://www.cnn.com/2011/12/01/world/americas/wikilane-mexico-city"><span style="color: #cc0000;">Mexico City </span></a><span style="color: #f1c232;">and </span><a href="http://bikepeacenyc.wordpress.com/"><span style="color: #cc0000;">Medellín</span></a><span style="color: #f1c232;"> have done in recent years. We hear stories about grassroots movements that work for education, health, etc. Examples like these are small-scale revolutions, non-violent in nature but powerful in meaning. The idea of "revolution" has been bastardized and romanticized in recent years, with references to Pancho Villa and Che Guevara, with loose references to Freire and McLaren, or the occasional Deepak Chopra or Paulo Coelho moment of zen. </span></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #f1c232; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 19.1875px;">To me, revolution goes deeper than that. It's about fighting the good fight from wherever we are. When I meet a bank teller, a public servant, or a police officer who does their job well, displaying dignity and politeness, I see a spark of revolution. I see in my teachers who work hard to provide quality education, even if politicians and business people love to throw them under a bus every chance they get... and I see it in those politicians and business people who have the courage to become their allies. Those sparks are everywhere... and as it may happen that the smallest spark can start a fire, I believe that a revolution may start by the sheer combination of those seven billion sparks... sometimes all it takes is doing the right thing, making the righteous choice, not cutting corners. I think it's the simplest actions what may start the deepest revolutions of the think and do... or as post-modern philosopher Michael Jackson would say...</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #f1c232; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">But, why do I still believe in these silent revolutions, when there is so much evidence of mediocrity and corruption around us? Why do others like me and unlike around the world still do? Because, paraphrasing NIck Fury, we'll need all of us to. </span></div>
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<span style="color: #f1c232; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">And here is the time when I return to Nelson Mandela: Why do we still believe in these small revolutions of the think and do? Because <i>we owe him that much!</i> Yes, </span><span style="color: #f1c232; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">I believe we owe him and many others a debt: to make this world a better place. It's not just Mandela to whom we owe. We also owe this to other great human beings before him: John Lennon, Dr. Martin Luther King, Mahatma Gandhi, Rosa Parks, Bertrand Russell, Monsignor Oscar Romero... as well as all those unsung heroes at Plaza de Mayo, in Chile, Tiananmen</span><span style="color: #f1c232; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"> Square, Rwanda, Tibet, and of course all of them in my beloved Colombia. We owe this to all those people who work hard every day to make a tiny difference and those who work hard to make a larger difference. As I said, there are about seven billion ways to start a revolution and change... what is stopping you?</span></div>
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<span style="color: #f1c232; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">That's it for now. Till my next blog, I bid farewell...<br /><br />The Blogger, the Thinker, the Provocateur...</span><br />
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<span style="color: #f1c232; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br />Raúl A. (El Patrón Himself / The Doctor of Patronomics)</span></div>
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<span style="color: #f1c232; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><i>I DEDICATE THIS BLOG ENTRY TO THE LIFE, ACTIONS, MEMORY, AND LEGACY OF </i></span></div>
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<span style="color: #f1c232; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><i><b>NELSON ROLIHLAHLA MANDELA</b> (1918-2013). THE PATH HE BLAZED WILL CONTINUE TO BE A MORAL COMPASS FOR THOSE COMMITTED TO SOCIAL JUSTICE.</i></span></div>
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el patron himself, Dr. Raúl A. Morahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07874252858044754446noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3021884291134853048.post-69302195006253497752011-11-11T10:19:00.001-06:002011-11-11T15:51:25.084-06:00On the Latest and Definitely NOT Greatest at Penn State<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #76a5af; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Greetings to my friends and bloggers around the world. It has been a while since I last blogged. That doesn't mean The Doctor of Patronomics has stopped trying to hit the hornets' nest like it's a piñata! On the contrary, the fight is still on from multiple fronts. I will write more about other events in my life soon. Today, I'd like to weigh in on the scandalous and shameful incident at Penn State.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #76a5af; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">As I mentioned in my last entry, I still have quite a few emotional links with the U.S. I am also a die-hard sports fan of all things Fighting Illini and I follow Big Ten sports quite frequently even from Colombia. So, as an alum from a Big Ten institution, it hits you even harder to hear the news of the sexual abuse incident at Penn State. It hits you even harder to notice how students at that institution rallied and vandalized the campus in support of Joe Paterno (I'll get back to him later) and how it seems that there are so many folks who have forgotten that the ONLY VICTIMS here are those 9 children who were abused, not to mention the possibly dozens who may or may not step forward. Then I read <a href="http://riverrundry.wordpress.com/2011/11/10/an-open-letter/">a blog from a parent</a> and it hit me that I needed to get back to the blog and write my thoughts. Just as this blog helped me heal on April, 2007 after the VA Tech massacre, I feel I need to write these ideas to get over the rage (Warning: There will be some foul language here and there, and for that I apologize beforehand.)</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #76a5af; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Just for starters, let's set something straight:</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: x-large;">Those children are the victims here. The adults? NOT ANY OF THEM!</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #76a5af; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">The protests at Happy Valley seemed to imply that Joe Paterno was a victim in this event. Let me make this clear: HE IS NEITHER A VICTIM OR A SCAPEGOAT. Sure, say what you will about his doing the minimum he was supposed to do. But, we're talking about CHILDREN IN DANGER here, not about some football player selling his jersey or something like that, ok? What he really had to do was DIAL 911! Anything else is unexcusable! And yes, I do have a few words for Sue Paterno. You see, when we get married, or at least that's how I did it, we seek for strong women who can also become our compass, especially our MORAL COMPASS. And real men do listen to our wives (we know there's a reason we call them "my better half", you know). So, why didn't Mrs. Paterno told Joe to CALL 911? Yes, ma'am, I am wagging my finger to you and assuring you that the Sandman will stop by to pay you a visit. Enjoy your slumbers from now on, Mr. and Mrs. Paterno!</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #76a5af; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Hold it! I'm not done, not by a longshot.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #76a5af; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">I have a few words for Mike McQueary, <a href="http://espn.go.com/college-football/story/_/id/7215664/penn-state-nittany-lions-mike-mcqueary-not-attend-game-weekend">whom I wish no harm</a>. We need no more violence, enough harm has been done to add blood to this tragedy. But, The Dr. goes on record to call you a COWARD. Sure, you went to Coach Paterno and reported what you saw... now slow down, Cochise... did I just write WHAT YOU SAW? Oh, yes, according to the <a href="http://www.attorneygeneral.gov/uploadedFiles/Press/Sandusky-Grand-Jury-Presentment.pdf?sct=hp_t12_a9">Grand Jury</a> (I tried to read this and I only made it to page 7 before I had to vomit. Warning: The stuff in this report is so crude and graphic that the writers from Law & Order Speciual Victims Unit can't even think about using as inspiration for an episode!), you SAW the rape take place, and you did what ANY REAL MAN would do, right? You fled and called your dad? And what did your dad do, like any real dad would do? Tell you to call JoePa? Here I have a couple of questions for you and your dad (please answer them while you surrender your BALLS to the Planetary Man Guild... your membership is under review as we speak): 1. Why didn't you stop this? Seriously, why not? 2. Why didn't you call 911? (I think <a href="http://www.thedailyshow.com/watch/thu-november-10-2011/penn-state-riots">Jon Stewart</a> put it best, "and didn't do the two things most adults would do: Stop it and call the cops, or call the cops to come stop it. Both scenarios involve the police and stopping it") <a href="http://espn.go.com/espn/commentary/story/_/id/7219772/mike-mcqueary-penn-state-teachable-moment-parents">Why didn't your dad</a>? You, sir, deserve to have your mug pasted near the word COWARD in the Oxford Dictionary, right below your dad's. </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #76a5af; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">And of course, I do have words for Jerry Sandusky, you filthy scum of a human being. I don't give a fuck how you want to spin it: I heard his lawyer on CNN last night saying that, sure, Sandusky and the 10-year-old boy were naked, but nothing happened. In the holy words of the Maharishi, WHAT THE FUCK? You're an adult male, naked with a little boy and NOTHING HAPPENED? That alone is disgusting and if you attorneys are using that as your defense, they're even more despicable human beings (how an attorney, after reading the report from the Grand Jury, can say, sure I'll defend him, makes me cringe. How do they sleep at night, with pillows made with the skins of live chickens?). The fact that you created a foundation, which you later used as your pipeline for your deviant behavior, is inexcusable! You are everything that's wrong with the human race and not only do you deserve to rot in jail, I hope Hell as a place reserved for scum like you!</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #76a5af; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Then, there's of course, the NCAA, whom I also blame. While sure, I understand that they're letting <a href="http://espn.go.com/college-football/story/_/id/7216578/penn-state-nittany-lions-child-sexual-abuse-case-ncaa-defers-authorities">the investigation run its course</a>, the lack of a strong statement is troublesome. Here's why: The NCAA leaves the impression that if a coach meets adult recruits at his home for a bbq, that's a major violation, but if another coach meets a young child in a shower in the school's facilities, that doesn't even merit a wag of the finger? REALLY NCAA? Are you going to hide behind your "student-athlete" semantics? It's that double standard what's so effed-up about college sports. Penn State deserves to be penalized big time, if only to show the point that the NCAA cares about those kids so scarred for life that their pain and shame will never let them even be able to "go pro in something other than sports".</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #76a5af; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Of course, there's the students who vandalized the city. Sure, you respect the coach, but your priority should've been demanding JUSTICE for those children who were abused ON YOUR CAMPUS. You see, the heinous actions of one adult and the heinous inactions of at least five others have brought, as Mercutio would say, a curse on ALL YOUR HOUSES. You shouldn't be demanding that Joe Pa be reinstated, you should be demanding that all the perpetrators and enablers be brought to justice. You should be demanding that the Trustees keep digging deeper. You should be demanding for Penn State not to pay the legal fees of their administrators on leave, but all the counseling and therapy fees that these children (and now adults) will need in order to become once again fully functioning adults. Don't worry so much about Joe Paterno! He lived a good life and for all I care, now that he's retired, he might as well blow 10000 balloons around his home and to go to South America, like the old man from UP (they kinda look alike even). I believe that there must be a lot of good left in Joe, anyway, and I know that right now he knows that mirrors have become his worst enemies for however long he still lives. But, please, worry about the CHILDREN. They are the ONLY VICTIMS here, they are the ONLY LOSERS here. </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #76a5af; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">In fact, one thing that makes me cringe about the students protesting is the possibility that among that mob, there might be EDUCATION majors, boys and girls who are getting ready to become the teachers of a future generation of children. I just hope that when they are faced with the tough decisions that one faces in the classroom, maybe THEN they'll choose to do the right thing. But, when it comes to them, we have earned ourselves the benefit of the doubt.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #76a5af; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Why am I so outraged about this now? It's simple: It's the result of my life. As I read the stories about this incident, I looked back to 2002, when I started grad school.., and then 2006, when my nieces were born... and 2008, when I started dating the love of my life... and 2010, when we got married... and then this year, when we're living together and we are making our own plans to have our own children in the not-so-distant future. I always remember the famous Bill Engvall joke ("<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=24T0jAy2zPc&feature=related">I got no problem going back to prison</a>" - Check it out at the 2:50 mark) and I start thinking, like the dad who wrote the blog I mentioned earlier, that I would anything to anybody who would so much as try to harm my nieces or my children in the future. And then, I can't understand why those adults did nothing to stop it because there's no rational explanation whatsoever. I can't understand why some college students (who are supposed to go there to LEARN and EDUCATE THEMSELVES) did what they did on Wednesday night. I can't because I was brought up at home and all the academic institutions to believe in doing what's right and to fight for justice from whatever arena I chose for my career. And yes, as an alum I know that the ideas of the institutions will outlast those men and women in positions of power who forget the very ideals that forged the institutions in first place. I hope that <a href="http://www.cbssports.com/collegefootball/story/16078483/the-real-penn-state-in-room-206-plenty-of-heart-to-be-found">Penn State will rise up again</a>, hopefully not as a "football school'' or a "party school", but as a proud institution that will choose to do what right and not what's profitable. I also hope that all other academic institutions in the world will learn the RIGHT LESSONS from this and if they have to choose between the "swoosh" and the child, they'll choose the latter even if they have to wear uglier jerseys next season.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #76a5af; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">I just hope that all of us who are adults learn the biggest lesson of all: That sometimes all that children (ours and other people's) have to save them from harm is ourselves. I just hope that I can keep reminding my undergraduate and graduate students in education that they're are the first, the last, and sometimes the ONLY line of defense these children have against those monsters who seek sexual gratification from them. I hope that I can do everything that's in my power when I am a father to live up to the challenge to defend them with my life if need may be (just like my parents did when I was younger). I just hope that we, the adults, teachers, police officers, coaches, etc. who are bestowed the responsibility to look after these children that not doing the right thing when they are in harm's way (especially if they are in danger of being sexually abused) means that we are a COMPLETE FAILURE as professionals, as adults, and worst of all, as human beings. We owe the children that much: Not just to do what's the legal requirement, but WHATEVER IT TAKES to save them. That's where those adults at Penn State failed to do. Let's learn from them and avoid making the same fatal mistake ever again...</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #76a5af; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">... because as Bob Sinclar said in his song, our job "<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J9vv4exgJgE">is to save the children, we're all very serious about that because we expect the children to save our soul.</a>"</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #76a5af; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">That's it for now. Till my next blog, I bid farewell...</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #76a5af; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">The Blogger, the Thinker, the Provocateur...</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #76a5af; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Raúl A. (El Patrón Himself / The Doctor of Patronomics)</span>el patron himself, Dr. Raúl A. Morahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07874252858044754446noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3021884291134853048.post-11443157971892027402011-02-25T21:00:00.001-06:002011-02-25T21:01:53.176-06:00With Apologies to Martin Niemöller...<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms'; line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: orange;">Greetings to my friends and bloggers around the world. I've been away for a while, but I'm not gone. The Blogger, the Thinker, the Provocateur (or as I also go these days, The Dr of Patronomics) is still here and speaking louder than ever. </span></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: orange; font-family: 'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;">As you all know, I lived in the US for 8 years. I got my graduate education there, I made wonderful friends, and I even met my wife while I was in Illinois. So, I have a sweet spot for the US of A. Every day, I read the news and I feel that things are not going as they should. The "Land of the Free" is becoming the "Land of the Few", the "Home of the Brave" is being turned into the "Home of the Bully" by the GOP and the Tea Party. Meanwhile, peaceful uprisings are taking place all over Northern Africa and the Middle East: The people are calling for the end of tyranny in that side of the world. Why aren't Americans following suit? </span></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: orange; font-family: 'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;">So, I decided to paraphrase the immortal Martin Niemöller. You may remember his famous Sermon:</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: orange; font-family: 'trebuchet ms'; font-size: x-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><br />
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<div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: blue; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: large;">When the Nazis came for the communists,</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: blue; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: large;">I remained silent;</span></span></div><div style="line-height: 18px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: blue; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: large;">I was not a communist.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: blue; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br />
</span></span></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: large;"></span><br />
<div style="color: blue; line-height: 19px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="font-size: large; line-height: 19px;">When they locked up the social democrats,</span></span></span></div><div style="color: blue; line-height: 19px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="font-size: large; line-height: 19px;">I remained silent;</span></span></span></div><div style="color: blue; line-height: 19px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="font-size: large; line-height: 19px;">I was not a social democrat.</span></span></span></div><div style="color: blue; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large; line-height: 19px;"><br />
</span></span></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: blue; line-height: 19px;"><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;">When they came for the trade unionists,</span></span></div></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: blue; line-height: 19px;"><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;">I did not speak out;</span></span></div></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: blue; line-height: 19px;"><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;">I was not a trade unionist.</span></span></div></span></span><div style="color: blue; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br />
</span></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: blue; line-height: 19px;"><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;">When they came for the Jews,</span></span></div></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: blue; line-height: 19px;"><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;">I remained silent;</span></span></div></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: blue; line-height: 19px;"><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;">I wasn't a Jew.</span></span></div></span></span><div style="color: blue; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br />
</span></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: blue; line-height: 19px;"><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large; line-height: 19px;">When they came for me,</span></span></div></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;"><div style="color: blue; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">there was no one left to speak out.</span></div><div style="color: blue; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: right;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: blue; font-size: x-small;">(Source: <a href="http://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Martin_Niem%C3%B6ller">http://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Martin_Niem%C3%B6ller</a>)</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: orange; font-size: x-small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: orange;">So, with apologies to Father Niemöller, I had the courage to paraphrase his words and adapt them to the current craziness in America. I know this may come off as rough words, but I've always said that I don't just stir up the hornets' nest, but that I bang it like it's a piñata! Without any further ado...</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: orange; font-size: x-small;"><br />
</span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 16px;"></span></span></span><br />
<div style="color: #cc0000; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large; line-height: 16px;">First, the Tea Party and the GOP went after the immigrants in Arizona.</span></span></span></div><div style="color: #cc0000; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large; line-height: 16px;">I didn't care. </span></span></span></div><div style="color: #cc0000; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large; line-height: 16px;">After all, I was neither a Mexican nor an immigrant, and I wasn't in Arizona.</span></span></span></div><div style="color: #cc0000; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large; line-height: 16px;"><br />
</span></span></span></div><div style="color: #cc0000; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large; line-height: 16px;">Then, they went after the union workers in Wisconsin and other states,</span></span></span></div><div style="color: #cc0000; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large; line-height: 16px;">I did nothing either;</span></span></span></div><div style="color: #cc0000; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large; line-height: 16px;">I was not in a union, or in Wisconsin, after all.</span></span></span></div><div style="color: #cc0000; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large; line-height: 16px;"><br />
</span></span></span></div><div style="color: #cc0000; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large; line-height: 16px;">Later, they started plotting against women's rights and putting them in danger with their definitions of "rape" and other attacks.</span></span></span></div><div style="color: #cc0000; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large; line-height: 16px;">I remained silent. </span></span></span></div><div style="color: #cc0000; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large; line-height: 16px;">I'm a man (and let's face it, I'm not a rapist) so why be outraged?</span></span></span></div><div style="color: #cc0000; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large; line-height: 16px;"><br />
</span></span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 16px;"><span style="font-size: large; line-height: 16px;"></span></span></span></span></div><div style="color: #cc0000; line-height: 16px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large; line-height: 16px;">At some point, they also they took rights off African Americans,</span></span></span></div><div style="color: #cc0000; line-height: 16px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large; line-height: 16px;">I wasn't moved one bit.</span></span></span></div><div style="color: #cc0000; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large; line-height: 16px;">I'm white, so what's the point? They wouldn't dare come after me!</span></span></span></div><div style="color: #cc0000; line-height: 16px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large; line-height: 16px;"><br style="line-height: 16px;" /></span></span></span></div><div style="color: #cc0000; line-height: 16px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large; line-height: 16px;">Finally, those politicians and their followers in the media came for me and others like me,</span></span></span></div><div style="color: #cc0000; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large; line-height: 16px;">And at that point, there were no freedoms left for me or anybody else in my country.</span></span></span></div><div style="color: #cc0000; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 16px;"><br />
</span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 16px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: orange;">It's not too late yet to care. The world is watching!</span></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 16px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: orange;"><br />
</span></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 16px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: orange;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Verdana, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 18px;"></span></span></span></span></span><br />
<div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 16px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: orange;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Verdana, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms'; line-height: 20px;">That's it for now. Till my next blog, I bid farewell.</span></span></span></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 16px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: orange;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Verdana, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms'; line-height: 20px;"><br />
</span></span></span></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 16px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: orange;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Verdana, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms'; line-height: 20px;">The Blogger, the Thinker, the Provocateur...</span></span></span></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 16px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: orange;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Verdana, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms'; line-height: 20px;"><br />
</span></span></span></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 16px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: orange;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Verdana, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms'; line-height: 20px;">Raúl A. (El Patrón Himself / The Doctor of Patronomics)</span></span></span></span></span></span></div></div></div></span></span>el patron himself, Dr. Raúl A. Morahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07874252858044754446noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3021884291134853048.post-10234938261752742822009-04-03T23:05:00.003-05:002009-04-04T00:30:59.984-05:00Getting My FUNK Back and Catching a Virus... Thoughts in the aftermath of Cornel West's Visit<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 153, 0);">Greetings to my friends and bloggers around the world. I'm taking a break from my academic writing otherwise known as my dissertation for some Gonzo 2.0. In case you're still wondering why I call this Gonzo 2.0, this is my tribute to the great Dr. Hunter S. Thompson, creater of Gonzo journalism and, to me, the godfather of the blog. Before I get into the heart and matter of this posting, a few shout-outs are de rigueur...</span></span><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 153, 0);"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 153, 0);">First, thanks to all my friends who showed me some love over my mom's surgery this week. Mom had a procedure to fix a hernia; she did quite well and right now she's recovering at home, taken care of by the one man I really want to be like when I grow up: My DAD! Thanks, gracias, merci, spasibo, muito obrigado, for your thoughts and prayers. I know they did make a difference and you'll get the same from me if either you or yours needs some moral support from me. Don't hesitate to ask! Any good you do to my family, I give it back a trillionfold, no hyperbole there!</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 153, 0);"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 153, 0);">Second, thanks to good friend Juan José and his laborious efforts, I'll be going to see U2 at Soldier Field in September! It's awesome and I look forward to that concert! Third, a big shout-out to my sister, who's turning Three-Zero at the end of the month! That's pretty awesome and I hope your shindig, whatever it is that you do as a shindig, goes effin'-A great! You deserve that! </span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 153, 0);"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 153, 0);">That's it for the time being. Now, on to the main event...</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(255, 102, 0); font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">Thoughts After Listening to Cornel West: Bringing Funky Back, Inspoken/Outspoken, and Spreading a New "Pandemic"</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">Yesterday, a few of us, never mind, a </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">few </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">were that small horde of what I think were frat boys and sorority girls in shorts and swimsuits running on Wright and Daniel Streets to catch a bus to go to the random big party of the month sponsored by the (insert random Greek letters here) frasorterority on campus. There were </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">a lot </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">of us flocking to Foellinger to hear one of the greatest minds of the last 50 years: Dr. Cornel West (no relation to Kanye, so don't go there!), of </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">The Matrix Trilogy </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">fame and a professor at Princeton... one of the truest and most illustrious provocateurs of our modern day. His talk was about how the Dream, à la Martin Luther King, Jr., was still in process of realization and how the Obama administration gave all of us, regardless of creed, color, orientation, or nationality, a chance to really build a society where justice, equity, and being your brother's keeper would mean something again. Those were strong words from a strong mind. I will summarize three salient points right now...</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">1. Brinking FUNKY Back - Or why the FUNK is actually a good thing?</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">One thing that Dr. West said, and which I had the chance to share with my friend Abel aka Terco Chicanogradstudent on Facebook was how Dr. West talked about the mainstream efforts to "deodorize the FUNK." It made me realize how even the dictionaries have a negative connotation for funk. A quick look at the Merriam-Webster Online dictionary offered these entries: </span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">1. </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 20px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">a strong offensive smell; </span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 20px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">2. </span><span class="sense_label start" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; font-weight: bold; padding-right: 5px; clear: left; font-size:90%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">1 a</span></span><span class="sense_content" style=" margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; font-weight: normal; font-size:inherit;"><strong style=" margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; font-size:inherit;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">:</span></strong><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);"> a state of paralyzing fear</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);"> </span><span class="sense_label" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; font-weight: bold; padding-right: 5px; font-size:90%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">b</span></span><span class="sense_content" style=" margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; font-weight: normal; font-size:inherit;"><strong style=" margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; font-size:inherit;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">:</span></strong><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);"> a depressed state of mind; </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:Arial;"><span class="sense_label start" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; font-weight: bold; padding-right: 5px; clear: left; font-size:90%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">2</span></span></span><span class="sense_content" style=" margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; font-weight: normal; font-size:inherit;"><strong style=" margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; font-size:inherit;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">:</span></span></strong><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);"> one that funks </span></span><strong style=" margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; font-size:inherit;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">:</span></span></strong><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);"> </span></span><a href="http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/coward" class="lookup" style="font-size: inherit; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; font-variant: small-caps; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">coward; </span></span></a><span class="sense_label start" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; font-weight: bold; padding-right: 5px; clear: left; font-size:90%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">3</span></span></span><span class="sense_content" style=" margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; font-weight: normal; font-size:inherit;"><strong style=" margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; font-size:inherit;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">:</span></span></strong><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);"> </span></span><a href="http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/slump" class="lookup" style="font-size: inherit; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; font-variant: small-caps; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">slump</span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);"> 1 </span></span><span class="vi" style=" margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; font-size:inherit;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);"><an></an></span><em style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; font-size:100%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">funk</span></span></em><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">></span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);"> </span></span><span class="vi" style=" margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; font-size:inherit;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);"><the></the></span><em style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; font-size:100%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">funk</span></span></em><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" line-height: 20px; font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" line-height: 20px; font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">As you can see, no wonder we need to "deodorize the funk!" That actually made me realize that we need to start listening to James Brown A LOT more often. You see, JB is one of the masters of Funk, along with the great George Clinton and his Parliament Funkadelic. JB really showed the world what the Funk was about when he proclaimed, in the heat of the Civil Rights movement, "Say It Loud, I'm Black and I'm Proud!" (he also acknowledged that even if this is a man's world, we're nothing without a good woman, but that's for another day!). In this sense, one can argue that this Funk is a counternarrative to those negative connotations. That maybe it is NOW that I'm into a Funk, that my mind is in the right place and right time, that my thoughts are flowing more clearly than ever and that I'm getting my sting and my voice back in my writing. </span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" line-height: 20px; font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" line-height: 20px; font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">It also means that having the Funk, as Dr. West said, was all about not losing one's identity, one's flavor, one's style, and one's </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">joie de vivre</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">, if you will. That maybe there's method to the madness in the rhythmic works of the Funk and that we need to start hearing the music more often to actually leave that provoked funk and get into a real Funk, where ideas flow and feelings are real... that's also part of the "Pandemic" I'll talk about later...</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" line-height: 20px; font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" line-height: 20px; font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">2. MJ - Great Highlights... and that's it (With Apologies to any and all MJ's fans)</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" line-height: 20px; font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" line-height: 20px; font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">One of the students who was fortunate enough to raise a question asked Dr. West about his thoughts on the dearth of outspoken [black] athletes. Dr. West was quick to point what have become Exhibits A and B of the inspoken (yes, I just made up a word... I found a blog that's named "inspoken" but that's more like this dude intend to remain anonymous... in case you're wondering, Inspoken would be the polar opposite of Outspoken, especially in a socio-political context) [black] athlete: Michael Jordan and Tiger Woods. Tiger's case, well, he's still got time to go on the lofty goals his father had to be a changer. Sure, Tiger may have done a lot of charity work that may go untold and uncredited, and it should be kept that way. If anything, that's the Christian way of doing charity! But, as Tiger has realized in the aftermath of Obama, this is not a time to remain silent or on the sidelines. He, as much as or even more than Barack, can be a voice that shows us that this is supposed to be a multicultural millennium (especially since his children will be even more multiracial than he was!) and I got this feeling that he's starting to react...</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" line-height: 20px; font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" line-height: 20px; font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">Which brings us to MJ...</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" line-height: 20px; font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" line-height: 20px; font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">You see, I'm an admirer of MJ's </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">game</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">. He was one of the seven legitimate revolutions in the NBA (another blog that I owe you all!!!!), he changed the game, for better and worse, in ways that we're yet to even appreciate. He was as clutch as there'll ever be; he was ultracompetitive, a passionate athlete, and his tenure is not just a chapter, but a whole tome in the lore of the NBA. He's earned every accolade he's been bestowed upon, and his inclusion in the Naismith Hall of Fame deserves not even its own wing, it deserves building another </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">floor </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">just for His Airness alone. So, you see, I'm not a hater of MJ the player... I'm still more fond of Kareem Abdul-Jabbar though.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" line-height: 20px; font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" line-height: 20px; font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">However, we cannot deny that right after the highlights, the dunks, the jams, the clutch shots, and the Flu Game, a lot of people will always remember this next to MJ:</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" line-height: 20px; font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" line-height: 20px; font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">"Republicans buy shoes too!"</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" line-height: 20px; font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" line-height: 20px; font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">Yup, that was his response when asked once about Jesse Helms, that controversial senator from North Carolina. Forgive me if I sound sacrilegous, but one man cannot come and step up on the rich tradition of athletes who were not afraid to fight the good fight from the arena of the arena. "Republicans buy shoes too" is a slap in the face to the struggles of Jackie Robinson and the ball players in the Negro Leagues, the ostracism that Tommie Smith and John Carlos faced after Mexico '68, the death threats and letters filled with racial slurs and the N word that Hank Aaron received on a daily basis as he was pursuing Babe Ruth's home run record. It's disregarding the statements, on and off the field, of people like Jim Brown or Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. It's ignoring the scrutiny that Muhammad Ali faced once he refused to go to Vietnam. Do you realize how different it would have been if Smith and Carlos hadn't stood up for what they believed and have gone "Republicans buy shoes too" in Mexico '68? Or if Ali had gone RBST and chosen to go to Vietnam and fight? </span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" line-height: 20px; font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" line-height: 20px; font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">Would we still respect Ali as a man as much as we do today? Would Smith and Carlos be revered and given their due as history so rightfully has today? Would we remember the plights of Jackie Robinson on Hank Aaron with the same passion and utmost respect? Probably not. </span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" line-height: 20px; font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" line-height: 20px; font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">And that's why MJ deserves to be in the Basketball Hall of Fame... and that's it!</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" line-height: 20px; font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" line-height: 20px; font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">3. There's a new Pandemic, a new Virus in town... and you'd be better off catching it! </span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" line-height: 20px; font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" line-height: 20px; font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">One thing that Dr. West said and that resonated highly in me was, </span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" line-height: 20px; font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" line-height: 20px; font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">"You see too many </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">echoes </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">and not enough </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">voices</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">."</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" line-height: 20px; font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" line-height: 20px; font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">It made me recall pretty quickly the lines from Violeta Parra, "si se calla el cantor, calla la vida" (if the singer's silent, life is silent). We need more voices out there, we need to reclaim what's rightfully ours, that was the rallying cry that Cornel West was bringing us. In a way, think of him as another Morpheus, one of several out there, that's inviting us, intriguing us, challenging us, to take the RED PILL and avoid the BLUE PILL at all costs.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" line-height: 20px; font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" line-height: 20px; font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">You see, that's where the Virus I'm telling you about comes in. There's a new virus going on, it's airborne and it's socially, enviromentally, and even sexually transmitted! It's called INFORMATION! It's called KNOWLEDGE! It's called CRITICAL THINKING! It's called OPINION! It has many strains and varieties. The trick is, unlike other viruses, it's easier to get innoculated from it...</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" line-height: 20px; font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" line-height: 20px; font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">All you have to do is just keep watching what you usually do. Yes, I mean your Tila Tequila, your Hannah Montana, your reality shows on VH1, the Real World (MTV, one day history will remember you at the same level as the Spanish Inquisition and the III Reich for the damage you did to the world, MARK MY WORDS!!!!!), Lost (very adequate name, wouldn't you think?), etc. Don't get me wrong, I like watching TV and I have my guilty pleasures, like </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">Law and Order. </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">But I actually like my life better since I had to cancel cable because I couldn't afford it a few years ago. I watched enough television in my childhood to last me 4 lifetimes... I learned a lot of English and useless facts in the process, and I ended up doing some of my research about how to better use it in EFL classrooms... but I digressed...</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" line-height: 20px; font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" line-height: 20px; font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">I'm not saying stop watching TV, or do if you want... I'm just saying that most of today's TV is the medium </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">and </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">the massage (paraphrasing Marshall McLuhan) that relaxes your brain. Granted, there are efforts out there like the Daily Show and the Colbert Report that are trying to use comedy (as Edward Vizenor would argue) to tilt the mainstream discourse on its axis and show it for what it is: A sad joke at best and a fraud at worst. </span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" line-height: 20px; font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" line-height: 20px; font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">The Virus, the pandemic, is out there! People like Annie Leonard, to whom I was acquainted thanks to my good friend Andrés Salas, and her efforts to take George Carlin's idea that what I own is stuff and what others own is just shit to a whole new level with her video "The Story of Stuff." You see, the Virus has an interesting effect: It's like the sunglasses in John Carpenter's movie, "They Live": It lets you see the truth behind the curtain! It shows you that there may be one "Inconvenient Truth" (as Al Gore would say) but that there are also a lot of "inconvenient truths" that need to be unmasked and put to shame like any Mexican Luchador who loses his mask in a Máscara contra Cabellera (mask vs. hair) event. They need to be called for what they are. </span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" line-height: 20px; font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" line-height: 20px; font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">The Pandemic is getting out of control, even if they don't want you to notice! And governments are noticing! It's no surprise that some governments are trying to "shut down Skynet" (a quick ref to the Terminator movies) because they do know that Skynet is not going anywhere and that Judgment Day is not going to be about a nuclear catastrophe... but about people who are getting their FUNK back and are ready to start holding every last one of them accountable for their sins and crimes. But, you can't shut down Skynet no matter how hard you try and sooner or later, Judgment Day will be upon all of them too.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" line-height: 20px; font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" line-height: 20px; font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">You see, the Virus is out there and THIS TIME, it can't be contained!!! I don't know if the revolution will be televised, as Gil Scott-Heron (BIG shout-out to Mr. Mertz - my favorite DJ not only because he knows how to work the turntables but because he has the intellectual soundbites to back up his mixes when the music's off - for the reference to the name!), but I know that thanks to a few mavericks out there not named lonelygirl14, the Revolution will be Blogged, Facebooked, and Twittered for and BY a lot of us... </span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" line-height: 20px; font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" line-height: 20px; font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">A lot of people like those few of us that weathered the storm to fill the seats at Foellinger nto listen to Cornel West... there are many more out there who are fighting this good fight, a lot of brothers and sisters who got tired of the lies... a lot of us who have finally decided it's time to rebuild the master's house with a new set of tools that the master thought we couldn't figure out how to use for own purposes... </span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" line-height: 20px; font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" line-height: 20px; font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">The Pandemic, the Virus, is here! The FUNK isn't going anywhere and is going to get us all infected... and the way to get infected is through RESISTANCE... you see, resistant isn't futile... it's the way to get this virus called knowledge... resisting is the way to go...</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" line-height: 20px; font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" line-height: 20px; font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">But in the end, you can still take the blue pill... sorry, I meant you can take MY blue pill if you'd like...</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" line-height: 20px; font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" line-height: 20px; font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">The red pill I took is kicking in as we speak!</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" line-height: 20px; font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" line-height: 20px; font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">That's it for now. Till my next blog, I bid farewell.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" line-height: 20px; font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" line-height: 20px; font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">The Blogger, the Thinker, the Provocateur...</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" line-height: 20px; font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" line-height: 20px; font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">Raúl A. (El Patrón)</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 102, 255); line-height: 20px;font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 102, 255); line-height: 20px;font-family:'trebuchet ms';"> </span></div>el patron himself, Dr. Raúl A. Morahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07874252858044754446noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3021884291134853048.post-87104689491090001552009-03-28T18:45:00.003-05:002009-03-28T19:36:24.568-05:00Call Me an Eco-Freak if You Wish, but I'm Joining Earth Hour!<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 51, 0);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';">Greetings to all my friends and bloggers around the world. It's been a while since I added my print to the ongoing Gonzo 2.0 revolution. Well, I have some less Gonzo-like writing to take care of lately so that's kept me away. Before I get into the matter, some quick shout-outs and kudos...</span></span><div><ul><li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 51, 0);">Patronapalooza Christmas Extravaganza was out of this world! My girl and I had a great time, so big shout-out to my family and my friends who made it possible. Especially, I want to thank my folks for being SO FREAKING nice while we were there! Also, my good friend Oscar "David Bloodclot" García, who was an amazing host while we were in Boyacá. The meal in Sutamarchán, the afternoon in Ráquira, and the visit to Chiquinquirá with your dad will always be remembered. Another big shout-out to my Colombian brother from another mother, Carlos Rico and his lovely girl, Michelle! It was great seeing you two together... best of luck!!!</span></span></li><li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 51, 0);">Seeing the girls, Isa & Manu, was out of this world! They're amazingly bright, lovely, and beautiful... and they can rest assured that for as long as I live, there'll be no hippos bothering you EVER!</span></span></li><li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 51, 0);">My mind is now in Medellín more than ever ... Mom's got a surgery to fix a hernia this coming Wednesday. Whoever you believe in, please offer a prayer for her health. If you're not into the whole deity thing, your positive thoughts and wishes are also helpful. El Patrón accepts happy thoughts and get-well wishes in a non-denominational fashion.</span></span></li><li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 51, 0); font-family: 'trebuchet ms';">One final shout-out to my former students in Early Childhood and Secondary Education at the U of I who are graduating in May. I've read in their Facebook statuses that they've passed their certification exams. CONGRATULATIONS!!!! Soon enough you'll learn the happiness one feels as a teacher when his/her students are thriving and succeeding!!!</span></li></ul><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 51, 0); font-family:'trebuchet ms';">Now, on to the main event...</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 51, 0); font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(255, 102, 0); font-family:'trebuchet ms';">Eco-Freak? Maybe; Tree-Hugger? Not so much; Concerned about the earth? Absolutely! And that's why I'm shutting my lights off tonight!</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(255, 102, 0); font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(255, 102, 0); font-family:'trebuchet ms';">Global warming is a fairly heated issue. Whether you adamantly believe in it and think we need to do something to save our planet before it's taken over as parking space (à la <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;">Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy), </span>that we need to do something for everybody's future, or you think "global warming" is an invention of some crazies that belong to the Church of Al Gore and there's nothing wrong with a warmer planet because you abhor the winters in the Midwest anyway, we all have an opinion on the matter. I am not here to chastise those who are against environmental efforts, nor will I be so sanctimonious to call myself the Second Coming of Captain Planet. I'm just a citizen of earth who's concerned about what your and my children will be able to call landscapes.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(255, 102, 0); font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(255, 102, 0); font-family:'trebuchet ms';">Since 2008, there's an ongoing global effort spearheaded by the <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;">other WWF </span>(sorry, in the back of my mind, WWF will ALWAYS be the World Wrestling Federation... we all guilty pleasures and mine is "wraslin'") for people around the world to turn their lights off for an hour, wherever they are, in an effort for more awareness of the consequences of global warming and the lack of concrete policies in regards to the environment (more on that later). More and more people keep joining, and reports indicate that some of our greatest architectural landmarks have gone dark in celebration. Sure, critics of the event have been quick to point out that the WWF is a pseudo-fascist organization that is inspired by obscure commercial agendas that ultimately wants to drive civilization back to the Dark Ages by obliterating what made us progress in the first place: Energy and light. Some of these pundits are in fact inviting everybody and their mother to actually turn every light and appliance you have available and if necessary borrow a few from the neighbors who are celebrating Earth Hour (hey, it's not like they'll be using that stereo between 8:30 and 9:30 anyway, right?). </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(255, 102, 0); font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(255, 102, 0); font-family:'trebuchet ms';">As I said, my goal here is not to chastise those critics of Earth Hour <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;">per se</span>. But, I'd be failing to the third descriptor in the name of my Gonzo 2.0 page (you know, provocateur) if I didn't lambast them somehow, right? Let's see... turning my lights off will promote a fascist society where progress isn't allowed, yada yada yada... well, the way I see it, turning my lights off and controlling my energy consumption may actually benefit my wallet too. Plus, some of those economic journals need to start thinking of other issues, like why on earth some of them were in cahoots with Wall Street and some of those conglomerates like AIG in creating the clusterf**** of epic proportions under which we are now. It's a good think that folks like Jon Stewart are already doing that for the rest of us (if you haven't seen the Daily Show interview with the Mad Money guy and how Steward owned him, look it up!). I think controlled consumption of our resources might actually benefit our economy to some degree. That's a reason why I'm endorsing Earth Hour.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(255, 102, 0); font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(255, 102, 0); font-family:'trebuchet ms';">I'll give some of the critiques to the event something, a little bone I'm throwing at them, if you will. We need to move past <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;">awareness </span> and move on to <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;">knowledge </span>and I may add a serious <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;">praxis. </span>Those of us into critical theories have heard of praxis: Practice based on theory and reflection. I agree that being aware of something means squat if I don't DO anything about it. It won't do me any good to be aware that gaining too much weight is going to affect the shelf life of my right knee. But I don't go to the gym and exercise, my knee is going to deteriorate faster. Being aware of that won't slow it down. Knowing what to do to and actually doing it, that's the X-factor there. Ditto for the enviroment. A lot of people are aware that the environment needs a hand, that maybe we're wasting too many resources by throwing garbage to the floor or driving trucks with 10 mpg consumption. It's what we actually DO what makes a difference. And that's why I again endorse Earth Hour. </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(255, 102, 0); font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(255, 102, 0); font-family:'trebuchet ms';">However, that shouldn't stop there. As I read in a time article recently, action at the political level is also required. We need to push for some change in terms of policies. Smart energy consumption policies are good for your pocket - just to give you an incentive. More energy-efficient appliances will bring lower energy bills! It's also about what we can do at an individual level. I have my own methods and I have my own plans to offset how many trees I'm killing by working on my dissertation. I only invite you to think about what you can do and if you ultimately want to borrow my laptop to watch videos on YouTube while I keep my lights off, do it beacuse you've reflected why that's a good idea. Ditto if you finally turn the lights off in an hour. Do it reflexively, not because it's a cool fad. </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(255, 102, 0); font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(255, 102, 0); font-family:'trebuchet ms';">One thing is for sure, I know that one of the reasons I'm doing it is because if I have children one day, I'd like to take them to their mother's homeland to visit the Siberian snows, not the Siberian <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;">prarie</span>, or I'd love to show them the beaches of Cartagena, not the shores of Cartagena <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;">Island... </span>if you catch my drift...</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(255, 102, 0); font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(255, 102, 0); font-family:'trebuchet ms';">That's it for now. Till my next blog, I bid farewell.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(255, 102, 0); font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(255, 102, 0); font-family:'trebuchet ms';">The Blogger, the Thinker, the Provocateur...</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(255, 102, 0); font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(255, 102, 0); font-family:'trebuchet ms';">Raúl A. (El Patrón)</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(255, 102, 0); font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(255, 102, 0); font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><br /></span></div></div>el patron himself, Dr. Raúl A. Morahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07874252858044754446noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3021884291134853048.post-4576837030405339952008-11-29T02:47:00.003-06:002008-11-29T03:24:30.231-06:00Worried About Being Bored on the Eve of Christmas? Here's an idea!<span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;"><span style="color: rgb(0, 102, 0);">Greetings to all my friends and bloggers around the world. This has been an interesting Thanksgiving break. First and foremost, my sincerest condolences to the family of the Wal-Mart employee in New Jersey who got killed by a senseless, irrational horde that ran over him to get a cheap discount on Black Friday. This is one of those moments where we really need to sit down and reflect if letting our wallets and not our brains rule our decisions is really worth it. It is one of those times when, if I have to pay an extra buck or two and in the process I save the life of a store clerk, it is a dollar well spent. Life cannot be on sale. I read those news and they made me sick and even ashamed of the human race. I also want to extend my condolences to the victims of the (here we go again) senseless, irrational acts of a terrorist group in Mumbai. It is unfortunate when people have to resort to violence to prove a political point (yes, it is a million times more shameful when they resort to violence to buy something on sale, but I digress). This kind of reminded me of a scene in Terminator 2: Judgment Day between John Connor (Edward Furlong) and The Terminator (Arnold Schwarzenegger):<br /><br /></span></span></span><div style="text-align: center;"><b style="font-family: trebuchet ms; color: rgb(0, 153, 0);"><a href="http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000411/">John Connor</a></b><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms; color: rgb(0, 153, 0);">: We're not gonna make it, are we? People, I mean. </span><br /> <b style="font-family: trebuchet ms; color: rgb(0, 153, 0);"><a href="http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000216/">The Terminator</a></b><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms; color: rgb(0, 153, 0);">: It's in your nature to destroy yourselves. </span><br /> <b style="font-family: trebuchet ms; color: rgb(0, 153, 0);"><a href="http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000411/">John Connor</a></b><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms; color: rgb(0, 153, 0);">: Yeah. Major drag, huh? </span><br /><br /><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms; color: rgb(0, 102, 0);">May all these victims of irrationality rest in peace.<br /><br />As I did the last time, I will save you all from the updates on my nieces. In a few weeks, I'll reprise the role of the annoying uncle who shoves his nieces down your throats with a super-long update (followed by a very critical blog about how we're turning into the Truman Show... just stayed tuned... A Gonzo 2.0 Christmas will be something else!!!!)<br /><br />But, for now, on to the blog...<br /><br /></span><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms; color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">Still Wondering What to Do on Dec. 23 or the Morning of Dec. 24?<br />The Blogger, the Thinker, the Provocateur has an idea for you!<br /><br /></span><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms; color: rgb(0, 102, 0);"><span style="color: rgb(51, 102, 255);"><span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">Oh, Christmas (sorry, but 1995 called and said they had totally run out of political correctness to supply the blogs in 2008... so if say "the holidays" is simply to spice up the narrative. I actually PREFER Christmas, thank you!), that wonderful time of the year when school is out and we all start thinking about what to do until classes begin again, in the case of students. In general, it is the time to take a break and celebrate with friends and family and give an honorable goodbye to the year that soon will be over. For those of us who live abroad, we may be blessed to go visit our families in our native countries, or some decide to stay in their university campuses most of the time because of either school or money issues, sometimes both. Regardless, we are all thinking about what to do during Christmas and it is very likely that we will make arrangements not to be all by ourselves during the holidays.</span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">Unless you do not know me or do not read my blogs (like some of my school and college friends on Facebook - told you I'm going all Carlos Mencia on this one!), you already know I have had an 11-month situation with my right leg. I am still in the process of recovery (slow but steady) and I will be home by the time there is one year after the surgery. It has taken quite a toll on my whole family, I know it has taken a bit of a toll on my girlfriend even. I have been thinking of doing something to celebrate my recovery. While talking to my beloved the other day, I came up with an idea to celebrate. I want to share it with you in hopes that you also find this inspirational and follow suit as an activity for 12/23 and Christmas' Eve in the morning</span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">I had my leg surgery on the 23rd and was discharged from the hospital at 3:00 on Christmas' Eve. For a moment, I thought I would spend that day in a hospital room. Even though I pulled a Neo on this one and dodged that bullet, I imagined there were folks at this hospital who were not so lucky. Then I thought of a visit I did to a children's hospital and an orphanage in Medellin 10 years ago and how much that moved me. Putting two and two together, this is what I will do. Again, I share this not to sell myself as a good samaritan (I believe what the Good Book says about not letting your right hand know what your left hand is doing... plus, I believe that showboating is something I myself do as part of being in the academia... showboating and charity go together just like caviare and pumpkin pie do!) but to maybe give you some food for thought.</span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">It dawned on me that on Dec. 23, there will be children at that hospital and orphanage who will be left to their own devices and very likely spend Christmas at a hospital. I will not be able to spend that day with them, but at least I can brighten their holidays a little bit. So, I will contact these two places and will take some presents for some children. I am no Bill Gates, so my funds are very limited. I will narrow down my options for the hospital to children about to have surgery or recovering from it and who will be hospitalized on 12/24. I will visit a few of them and will at least give them a toy and a warm wish for their recovery. That for me is the best way to celebrate the blessings from my recovery.</span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">In fact, I will officially make this pledge to you, my friends and bloggers around the world: Beginning this year, I will do this every Dec. 23, no matter where I am. I will visit a hospital and keep some company to children who do not have anybody else, or maybe to elderly people who have a surgery and nobody to keep them company. Life blessed me with resources to have the surgery and amazing friends to be with me. It is time for me to pay my dues.</span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">This is my personal pledge. But, think about it: All you will do on those two days is probably veg out and watch TV. Spending a few hours spreading holiday cheer might make a huge difference to those children, elder people, etc. who may possibly be all by themselves otherwise. Plus, if some people have time to stand up for 12 hours in front of a store to get cheap electronics, I think we can spend a twelfth of that time visiting someone who will REALLY, TRULY, UNEQUIVOCALLY "appreciate our business." I already have my agenda for Dec. 23 figured out... it is up to you to decide in which direction you spread joy.<br /><br /></span></span></span><span style="font-size: 100%; color: rgb(0, 102, 0);"><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">That's it for now. Till my next blog, I bid farewell.<br /><br />The Blogger, the Thinker, the Provocateur...<br /><br />Raúl A. (El Patrón)</span></span><br /><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms; color: rgb(0, 102, 0);"><span style="color: rgb(51, 102, 255);"><span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);"></span><br /><br /></span></span><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms; color: rgb(0, 102, 0);"><span style="color: rgb(51, 102, 255);"></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms; color: rgb(0, 102, 0);"><span style="color: rgb(51, 102, 255);"></span></span><br /><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms; color: rgb(0, 102, 0);"><span style="color: rgb(51, 102, 255);"></span></span></div><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms; color: rgb(0, 102, 0);"></span></div></div><br /></div>el patron himself, Dr. Raúl A. Morahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07874252858044754446noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3021884291134853048.post-91483623475904382372008-11-05T00:30:00.003-06:002008-11-05T01:05:00.134-06:00Yes We Can! Obama: How we should all start turning a new page!<span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);"><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">Greetings to all my friends and bloggers around the world. There will be no acknowledgments or updates this time around. My tribute to Gonzo 2.0 is all about President-Elect Obama! So, let's cut to the chase, shall we?<br /><br /></span></span></span><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);"><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;"><span style="color: rgb(51, 153, 153);">The Turning of a Page? Obama and the Larger Picture...<br /><br /></span></span></span></span><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);"><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;"><span style="color: rgb(51, 153, 153);">Unless you're living under a rock, you already know what happened. Barack Obama, a senator from Illinois, is now the next President of the United States of America. It is a moment of epic and historical proportions and it is a moment to reflect on what the next four years will and should be like. After all, Obama's victory is something that is the end-result of a larger, a much larger effort. I won't claim to know it all, but I'll try to offer an historical perspective, incomplete, but historical nonetheless.<br /><br />You see, the fact that an African-American has made it to the highest post on the planet is no act of sheer serendipity. It's more than the outrage and discontent for eight years of failed policies. There's a deeper philosophical struggle here and that needs to be mentioned as well. Obama's accomplishment is the build-up of the work of several Black/African-American men and women in the arts, the academia, sports, and even entertainment, who have been standing up against the inequailities of the times and the lack of opportunities over the past two centuries. Obama mentioned a 106-year-old lady in his speech. In those 106 years, a lot of people have worked towards this day, a day that we should not forget; a day when we should recall some of those names...<br /><br />When I saw Obama standing on that podium, I could see the legacy of intellectuals such as Frederick Douglass and what he said about issues of inequality and discrimination. I see people like Carter G. Woodson, and how maybe he can be hopeful that the Negro, the Latino, the Disabled, and other minorities in the U.S. and the world will no longer be Miseducated. I can see that the efforts to stand up for their rights that brave men and women like Rosa Parks and her refusal to move to the back of the bus were not futile. I can see that the act of civil disobedience by Tommie Smith and John Carlos, back in Mexico '68 is something to be proud of and not, as was at the time, something to be vilified about. I can see the war cry of the late James Brown, the Godfather of Soul and Forefather of Hip-Hop, "Say it loud, I'm Black and I'm Proud!" still giving all of us inspiration. I can see the efforts behind the landmark decision in <span style="font-style: italic;">Brown v. Board of Education </span>making more and more sense and why everybody deserves fair access to education.<br /><br />In Obama's words of hope, I can see the efforts of more men and women who have not been afraid to speak their minds and fight for their beliefs from their different fronts and while doing that, breaking ground. I see the work, words, and actions of Malcolm X, Martin Luther King, Bob Marley, Jackie Robinson, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, The Texas Western Miners, Muhammad Ali, Toni Morrison, Cornel West, Richard Pryor, even Jesse Jackson, just to name a few. African-American history (as African and Afro history around the world) is rich and full of moments worth highlighting. Obama's victory is simply a moment when everybody's efforts have converged in that victory walk at the podium at Grant Park in Chicago.<br /><br />But this is more than a much-deserved moment of victory and even vindication for so many African-Americans who have felt what oppression looks like. It is a moment of vindication for all of us who believe in social justice and true equality. It is also a challenge for those of us who believe that no children should really be left behind beyond cheap rhetoric. This is not a challenge that simply belongs to the U.S. In many countries, mine included, there are still millions of people from different minorities still dealing with oppression, disenfranchisement, marginalization, etc. If anything, Obama has taught us what WE, meaning those of us who have the privilege of a world-class education, need to do with it. Mind you, he could've used his Harvard Law degree just to be partner of the law of "Johnson, Smith, Jones, & Obama," right? He could've conformed with being a millionaire attorney making money of our lawsuits. Instead, he has worked hard for the have-nots, since his days as an activist in Chicago. Obama has reminded us that access to these golden opportunities places us in a position of advantage from which we can help and empower others.<br /><br />One of Obama's slogans was, "Change we can believe in." The questions for the rest of us, both in the U.S. and the world are: What kind of CHANGE do we believe in? What kind of CHANGE do we want to be part of? What kind of CHANGE do we want to bring about in our communities, in our cities, in our countries? I think this should galvanize all of us, regardless of nationality, ethnicity, sexual orientation, religion, creed, etc. and make us aware of the challenges ahead of us as citizens of the world. We live in what Marshall McLuhan used to call the Global Village. We're more connected to each other than ever. What will we use those connections for? To benefit ourselves only? Or to benefit others? I think the change of the guard that we just noticed is a call for all of us, White, Black, Latino, Asian, Straight, Gay, Lesbian, Christian, Muslim, etc. to start making a difference once and for all. The winds of change are knocking on our doors. Our children and grandchildren will judge us for how we respond or refuse to respond to this call. It is up to us, in the words of the great Bob Marley, to "get up, stand up..."<br /><br />I know I already have!<br /><br />That's it for now. Till my next blog, I bid farewell.<br /><br />The Blogger, the Thinker, the Provocateur...<br /><br />Raúl A. (El Patrón)<br /></span></span></span></span><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);"><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;"><span style="color: rgb(51, 153, 153);"></span></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);"><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;"><span style="color: rgb(51, 153, 153);"></span></span></span></span><br /><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);"><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;"><span style="color: rgb(51, 153, 153);"></span></span></span></span></div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="color: rgb(255, 153, 0);"></span><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);"><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;"></span></span></span><br /><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);"><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;"></span></span></span></div>el patron himself, Dr. Raúl A. Morahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07874252858044754446noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3021884291134853048.post-10494729668589202132008-10-06T18:02:00.000-05:002008-10-06T18:00:04.385-05:00Updates and an old blog I forgot to edit...<span style="color: rgb(153, 153, 0);"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Greetings to all my friends and bloggers around the world. I'm still in Chambana, preparing myself for the fall season and the incoming winter. Now, here would the time when I'd rant about the awful transition where there's no fall. But, the girl I love told me a few days ago that it's already snowing in good old Россия (or Russia for all of you!), so I guess no complaints here :).<br /><br />It's been a good few months since the last blog: My committee is pretty much all involved in the work with my dissertation, my leg's healing well (I've even started jogging), and things are going well overall. And... I'm going home for Christmas! Tickets are booked and I'll have all my arrangements made pretty soon. Of course, there'll be plenty of Gonzo 2.0 live from Colombia (in fact, I may even have a guest blogger... fingers crossed on that one!)<br /><br />No twins update this time... there'll be time for that too! Now, on to the blog:</span></span><span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><br /><br /></span></span><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Blogo Bonito: About Fútbol/Football and Other Thoughts Regarding the Beautiful Game!</span></span><br /></div><span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><br />[Blogger's note: I originally wrote this blog around the time of Euro 2008 (or, as some call it, the Brazil-Argentina-free World Cup) and I recently found it hidden in my archives. So, I'm unearthing it!]<br /><br />This blog is all devoted to The Beautiful Game and its fans... especially those who refuse to capitulate and continue calling the sport as it was meant to be... fútbol, futebol, fussball, FOOTBALL (if you're a fan of American Rugby, er, American Football feel free to stop reading here). Right now, a quick disclaimer...<br /><br />Yes, I am VERY WELL AWARE of the origin of "soccer" as a reduced form of "Association Football." So, spare me the history lesson (and please don't even try to pull that off on me... you'd be suprised how much I know about the history of U.S. sports, particularly basketball, so let's leave it at that!). Any of you who has followed my "quest" on Facebook (http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=2208427575&ref=ts) knows that I'm all for the Footballución... and I think that David Beckham is a freaking sellout (calling Football "sockah"... COME ON! All Old Trafford with me... SELLOUT!)<br /><br />After that, let's get back on track... and let's get this game started...<br /><br /></span></span><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><span style="color: rgb(51, 102, 255);">First Half: Why I love Football...<br /></span></span></span><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><span style="color: rgb(51, 102, 255);"><br />First things first, my love for football comes primarily out of geography: As a good South American, fútbol is a big deal. Our sports lives come to their pinnacle every four years, during the World Cup... an event where (sarcasm spoiler here) World actually means several countries are represented by their national teams, unlike, say the World Series... and where whichever team becomes World Champions actually defeated teams from other parts of the world... unlike, say the NBA or NFL World Champions (ok... I'll cut the NFL some slack since they're World Champions by default; after all, the only place on earth where this kind of football is played is the US... which makes me wonder... shouldn't the Canadian Football League and the Aussie Rules champions be declared World Champions under that same logic? I can't cut the NBA much slack until they actually win a Gold medal in the Olympics or win a FIBA World Championship). So, it's no suprise that the Championship Match for the World Cup is watched by BILLIONS around the world, which I don't think even the Super Bowl can claim, let alone the NBA Finals or the MLB "World" Series (an ironic thing, this "World" Series thing since Japan actually won the World Baseball Challenge in the US no less!). Football is one of the sports where national pride is always at stake, where not making it to the largest stage doesn't mean you get to pick the best players at the draft, and where an embarrassing defeat becomes a scarlet letter every time your friends from the opposing country meet you... because players come and go... victories and defeats live forever (ask Brazilians, the defeat in 1950 still stings... or the Germans in 1966, they'll tell you the ball never crossed the goal line... etc, etc, etc).<br /><br />The other reason I love futebol is the fans at stadia around the world. With apologies to all professional sports fans in the U.S. (some of whom are dear friends), the passion that football triggers is unrivaled. I always make the argument that when I see fans in baseball/basketball/American football dancing around a BONFIRE, we can claim they're truly hardcore. Also, football fans don't need cheerleaders or PA announcers to tell them to make "NOISE" (as I've seen in games at college or pro levels)... football fans at the stadium are ready to chant, scream, and wave all 90 minutes. The most harcore fans won't even consider sitting down all the time. Some football teams may have cheerleaders, but the bottom line is, fans at these games are given free reign to celebrate the game... it's not about how many celebrities you can spot (and quite frankly, I'd find it rather ridiculous to see Hollywood celebrities at a football match... they'd be so out of place... I mean, "it's hot" is not something fans would chant, right?)<br /><br />Another reason is the game itself. You have 11 players on each side, 10 of whom are actually expected to help on both sides of the pitch. You only get THREE substitutions, which means that at least 16 players won't have much of a timeout for a good 90 minutes. I can only think of another game that expects this much from a small group of players... RUGBY, but that's for another day. In futebol, you don't see such a thing as a dude that only comes in a few times per game to kick the ball (punters and place kickers, yes, it's you I'm talking about!). A futbol roster is about 18-22 players, not a whopping 60 (like some American Football rosters). Plus, in football, pretty much ANYONE can be part of that Holy Grail of football otherwise known as the GOL... a defensive linebacker scoring a touchdown? Technically possible, but more unlikely than a defender scoring a goal... In addition, football IS a contact sport, so contact is expected and, with a few exceptions, there's no bad blood when contact happens. Plus, since there is neither protective armor nor excessive weight differences among players, that prevents some injuries from going further... I mean, sure, there are football players who have torn their ACLs, broken legs, noses even... but how many of them have suffered a PARALYZING NECK INJURY? I mean, for that to happen in a fútbol match, we're talking about a defender who's the love child of Chuck Norris and the Incredible Hulk... in American Football, all it takes is a 350-lb linebacker.<br /><br /><br /></span></span></span><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><span style="color: rgb(51, 102, 255);"><span style="color: rgb(204, 102, 204);">Second Half: Things I love (and hate) about The Beautiful Game<br /><br /></span></span></span></span><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><span style="color: rgb(51, 102, 255);"><span style="color: rgb(204, 102, 204);">Having declared my passion for fútbol, there are things I really enjoy and some that really irk me about the game... here's a list for you!<br /></span></span></span></span><ul><li><span style="color: rgb(204, 51, 204);font-family:trebuchet ms;" >I love the celebrations... when a team scores a goal, the rest of the team enjoys it genuinely. It's not about how outlandish you can be or how much of a selfish bastard you can be (T.O., Ocho Cinco, yes, I'm talking TO and ABOUT you... your celebrations actually exclude everybody and their mother!). Plus, more often than not, the players remember someone special when they score. Goals have been dedicated to parents, girlfriends and wives, friends, etc. Yes, there's some showboating involved when you wear the picture of your child underneath your shirt to show it after you score... but how many touchdowns are dedicated to babies? And, of course, LeBron always thinks of his mama when he shoots a buzzer beater... right?</span></li><li><span style="color: rgb(204, 51, 204);font-family:trebuchet ms;" >I really hate it when they show the players during the national anthems and they're not singing. Guys, you know they're gonna show your mugs during the introductions, so PLEASE learn your freaking national anthems. We're not asking you to learn some scientific law here, just your anthem. And please, don't freaking chew gum during introductions either!</span></li><li><span style="color: rgb(204, 51, 204);font-family:trebuchet ms;" >I love the fact that, with football, Earth is literally a pitch. Right now, on any random street in Europe or South America (to name two), a big-time match is taking place. These street warriors won't make it to Sports Center tonight, but every time you play a match, bragging rights are on the line. I played a few of those myself!</span></li><li><span style="color: rgb(204, 51, 204);font-family:trebuchet ms;" >Fútbol is a sport where you can be a fan of multiple teams without feeling you're a traitor or a fairweather fan. You can follow a team in England, Italy, or Spain, Brazil or Argentina (by the way, I put those as binaries because they're somehow mutually exclusive. In the South American context, it's okay to root for a local team and a team from Brazil or Argentina... but you don't root for teams from both countries... that's called jumping on a bandwagon) plus your home team and that's fine. That's a luxury that other sports really don't have (maybe Rugby is an exception here).</span></li><li><span style="color: rgb(204, 51, 204);font-family:trebuchet ms;" >I really hate the excessive violence from fans. I do. That's the first salvo that any fútbol-hater uses to bash the beautiful game. And it's our fault. I believe violence has to leave the stadia and our game. Nothing wrong with the extreme passion of the sport... after all, there's nothing wrong in and of itself to get mad when those 11 cats are making your country look bad on the pitch. But, how does violence help? It doesn't so PLEASE QUIT IT!!!!!</span></li></ul><span style="color: rgb(204, 51, 204);font-family:trebuchet ms;" >Finally, the main reason I love the game... Because very few things in life can send a WHOLE COUNTRY to hell and back to heaven in a matter of seconds.... very few things in life paralyze an entire city for an hour... very few things in life become a language of its own that transcends religion, ethnicity, nationality, creed, and even gender... after all, across five continents, many of us know what it's like to bite your nails and dream every four years, what it's like to learn about players from places you wouldn't know about otherwise, to love and hate your country all in one afternoon, to find ways to connect with people from other countries...<br /><br />... and that's all thanks to the BEAUTIFUL GAME!<br /><br />That's why I think that an edited version of the Bible would include this paragraph...<br /><br />And after creating the world in seven days, God saw that everything looked good yet his seventh day was missing something... something that would create excitement and passion for that day... so, on the eighth day, God created FOOTBALL... and all was good!<br /></span><span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><span style="color: rgb(51, 102, 255);"><span style="color: rgb(204, 102, 204);"><br /></span></span></span></span> <span style="color: rgb(51, 0, 153);font-family:trebuchet ms;" >That's it for now. Till my next blog, I bid farewell!<br /><br />The Blogger, the Thinker, the Provocateur...<br />Raúl A. (El Patrón)<br /></span><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: rgb(102, 102, 0);"><br /></span></div></div></div></div><span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);"><span style="color: rgb(255, 204, 102);"></span><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"></span></span><br /><span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"></span></span></div>el patron himself, Dr. Raúl A. Morahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07874252858044754446noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3021884291134853048.post-68098375333511812272008-07-19T11:10:00.011-05:002008-07-19T13:09:23.531-05:00It Takes a Child to Change the Village: Life after Isabella & Manuela - Windows and Mirrors<span style="color: rgb(204, 0, 0);"><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Greetings, as always, to my friends, readers, and bloggers around the world. It's time for Gonzo 2.0 - In case you're still wondering what this Gonzo 2.0 means, well, it's my little tribute to the great Dr. Hunter S. Thompson, father of Gonzo journalism and to some (including myself), the original blogger before blogs existed. So here's to you HST, we'll keep Gonzo alive while you keep writing Fear and Loathing in Heaven and Hell!<br /><br /></span></span></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNz4PO8BNQlxRZyqnrCPvd58B68bzL6XCJ2r0pNIE2xJ5ODHCaKwTGdEggsmjnb1WY3KNAF4K95Y7dbNX7zUkLsbr2QYrZXOl28A-dZlmG6gNikwkQZ9qKuH46KPieqrxAvUk9iu2ZTKk/s1600-h/Gonzo+2.0.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 144px; height: 202px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNz4PO8BNQlxRZyqnrCPvd58B68bzL6XCJ2r0pNIE2xJ5ODHCaKwTGdEggsmjnb1WY3KNAF4K95Y7dbNX7zUkLsbr2QYrZXOl28A-dZlmG6gNikwkQZ9qKuH46KPieqrxAvUk9iu2ZTKk/s320/Gonzo+2.0.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5224780071568121986" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="color: rgb(204, 0, 0);"><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Before I go onto the main event, an update on my previous blog: Last night I went to see <span style="font-style: italic;">The Dark Knight</span>. I won't disclose any details; well, it doesn't matter. Even if I did, this movie is like <span style="font-style: italic;">The Usual Suspects</span>: No matter how much I tell you, I won't make a coherent summary and you're better off watching it yourself. But, here are some highlights in the aftermath:<br />1. Tom Cruise must be REALLY pissed off. Conspiracy theorists around the world: All bets are off on this one!<br />2. Jack: You put the JOKE in Joker! Heath is the real goods here. Would somebody please just hand in the Golden Globe and the Oscar already?<br />3. From now on, I will only count the existence of two Batman flicks: <span style="font-style: italic;">Batman Begins </span>and <span style="font-style: italic;">The Dark Knight. </span>The previous flicks are apocryphal and I'll leave to revisionist historians to obliterate all records of the existence of such travesties to the Caped Crusader. And yes, Mr. Clooney, the world is still waiting for your apology letter, thank you!<br />4. We need to reclassify the list of the baddest of the bad guys. Here's my top 3 as of last night: Darth Vader, The Joker (H. Ledger's version), Hannibal Lecter (A. Hopkins version).<br />5. I think this one will be a tough act to follow. It's probably one of the best adaptations of comic book films ever.<br />6. As a follow up to last week's blog... Is there any way Batman can make Superman look any less vanilla than he's already making him look? Right now, Superman is as multidimensional as a folded piece of paper!<br /><br /></span></span></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRFBccf-MxNt0896rlHTJlVuyAJtREFFMy16JeHXqL2RoyFdk2o7mWn3NoAUnLcHb9Rfr2x3lYGkvgMBs7xPBuzrHeqqdk6Qcd6lH2Xs50iQhLjbh8T5Sfzd3NXsWt2syMEUkiXkRbTZA/s1600-h/The_Dark_Knight_poster.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 140px; height: 208px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRFBccf-MxNt0896rlHTJlVuyAJtREFFMy16JeHXqL2RoyFdk2o7mWn3NoAUnLcHb9Rfr2x3lYGkvgMBs7xPBuzrHeqqdk6Qcd6lH2Xs50iQhLjbh8T5Sfzd3NXsWt2syMEUkiXkRbTZA/s320/The_Dark_Knight_poster.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5224780071803719378" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="color: rgb(204, 0, 0);"><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><br />Okay, now on to the main event...<br /><br /></span></span></span><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: rgb(204, 0, 0);"><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><span style="color: rgb(255, 153, 255);"><span style="font-weight: bold;">It Takes a Child to Change the Village:</span><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">A look back at my life after Isabella and Manuela</span><br /><br /></span></span></span></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhou76LGpj7l2rqS_KUkZPermLjYVHiMdWxQsdxuiXdsqqJvJPXRMIvC-Q_FB5oOkvJk72Z7EQz4VBjMi26NwgP9TohC1yqQ7N-2kVHxRyr63nizF0Ri00Cqd9_lV3OtN6F8GqkljA1x_U/s1600-h/Isabella06.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 192px; height: 147px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhou76LGpj7l2rqS_KUkZPermLjYVHiMdWxQsdxuiXdsqqJvJPXRMIvC-Q_FB5oOkvJk72Z7EQz4VBjMi26NwgP9TohC1yqQ7N-2kVHxRyr63nizF0Ri00Cqd9_lV3OtN6F8GqkljA1x_U/s320/Isabella06.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5224780709276659282" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUbA55F5_7Gz12nSd_L7SETK9yyKu19hAHJrbWJ4O-sWQ72xRCZSy_yNe5kv5f-6P0j8MjWle_b_fDJrOUpv8u6pBPZvOL8CnR6RtB-6UKoeol9t9TxA8Ttm6OK7FtQGMDmAhV4qBYyAs/s1600-h/Manuela03.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 193px; height: 147px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUbA55F5_7Gz12nSd_L7SETK9yyKu19hAHJrbWJ4O-sWQ72xRCZSy_yNe5kv5f-6P0j8MjWle_b_fDJrOUpv8u6pBPZvOL8CnR6RtB-6UKoeol9t9TxA8Ttm6OK7FtQGMDmAhV4qBYyAs/s320/Manuela03.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5224780708250438610" border="0" /></a><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: rgb(204, 0, 0);"><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><span style="color: rgb(255, 153, 255);"><br />Tomorrow, July 20, it's the second birthday of my twin nieces. I've literally had to follow their lives through the proverbial looking glass, in some ways literally - the first time I saw them was at the NICU through the window and through some pictures I took in my cell phone. I guess you've all heard the expression, "It takes a village to raise a child." I always thought there was a sense of hyperbole in that saying. Then I realized that though this holds true, a child does change the village in more ways than one.<br /><br /></span></span></span></span><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9_IsSoFa5vqeLR-l5IuG8LSkgq1uufk7wrkduvZKKn5LTz-taHoMorQfUuuWNwetcZS7mNs62JZ2kYdB_MWlND57jt0-nF0dnkuDqlxSiDAP-jFEgoNUy5u0OEctqOUpaHdKKcMj2PBQ/s1600-h/LaFamiliaFeliz.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 191px; height: 157px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9_IsSoFa5vqeLR-l5IuG8LSkgq1uufk7wrkduvZKKn5LTz-taHoMorQfUuuWNwetcZS7mNs62JZ2kYdB_MWlND57jt0-nF0dnkuDqlxSiDAP-jFEgoNUy5u0OEctqOUpaHdKKcMj2PBQ/s320/LaFamiliaFeliz.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5224787516169136626" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7Td2tJ1l3wYIODQlXdQ_sqbnqPSqquAzBXVKYMxGGSiRWl6C06eFuLVrnGvxTbX6UE6Olyt3DAD-wpnQWinDmlLJIzWsNqM0xaPYYbyMwbzo4T2aFY1zOd5SBKt0NwIOxj9IeBulz2Qc/s1600-h/Manu,Mam%C3%A1eIsa.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 191px; height: 157px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7Td2tJ1l3wYIODQlXdQ_sqbnqPSqquAzBXVKYMxGGSiRWl6C06eFuLVrnGvxTbX6UE6Olyt3DAD-wpnQWinDmlLJIzWsNqM0xaPYYbyMwbzo4T2aFY1zOd5SBKt0NwIOxj9IeBulz2Qc/s320/Manu,Mam%C3%A1eIsa.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5224781856928960002" border="0" /></a><br /><br /></div><span style="color: rgb(204, 0, 0);"><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><span style="color: rgb(255, 153, 255);">One of the first things I learned is that children in your family, <span style="font-style: italic;">even if they aren't yours</span>, change the dynamics of life as you know it. I know my life changed the day my sister called me and told me she was pregnant. No, I'm not claiming that "I'm gonna be an uncle" is as transcendental as "I'm gonna be a dad." Claiming so would be pretentious of me. After all, some of the parental woes are things I can live vicariously and be fine about it. But, life does change in little ways:<br /><br /></span></span></span></span><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdDG-7LcjMYx-M3fwOnXEBmTMDpkhnWv1FIkRj4PRzxwPxhtzlrby4T4hsJrj-QzwKyDbMvlm8Eh9b_2WTJB1ogs4hRPcWJBiXRWyNpDglcF1PbqLj9nwzrfEB_Rf-AhE7YcPl4SaVyqk/s1600-h/ManueIsa.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 193px; height: 158px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdDG-7LcjMYx-M3fwOnXEBmTMDpkhnWv1FIkRj4PRzxwPxhtzlrby4T4hsJrj-QzwKyDbMvlm8Eh9b_2WTJB1ogs4hRPcWJBiXRWyNpDglcF1PbqLj9nwzrfEB_Rf-AhE7YcPl4SaVyqk/s320/ManueIsa.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5224781856549701458" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2ebf6_r9Ydp_bDLJRvZ0uPJIM7sLsuhnvve4yApsgGGODi5hNxPev-tvd7AxTIk1BpxLFL9fwMNgKbrRtD4DO8cjKZGIPwLHrXq6RT-0CjUy1M7FEw4bJXUlV3LP32pgCtpVGm9C-GYc/s1600-h/n1923841_36984633_6267.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 209px; height: 158px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2ebf6_r9Ydp_bDLJRvZ0uPJIM7sLsuhnvve4yApsgGGODi5hNxPev-tvd7AxTIk1BpxLFL9fwMNgKbrRtD4DO8cjKZGIPwLHrXq6RT-0CjUy1M7FEw4bJXUlV3LP32pgCtpVGm9C-GYc/s320/n1923841_36984633_6267.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5224781860057781698" border="0" /></a></div><span style="color: rgb(204, 0, 0);"><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><span style="color: rgb(255, 153, 255);"><br />Before: My trips to the mall included stops at Macy's, the Gap, American Eagle, the caps store,etc. I would make the occasional stop at the pet store, thinking how much <span style="font-style: italic;">I </span>would like to own a puppy.<br />Now: I still stop at the Gap... <span style="font-style: italic;">Baby </span>Gap that is! American Eagle is out, Gymboree (a local store for infant/toddler clothing) is in; I still go to the pet stop, thinking how much <span style="font-style: italic;">they </span>would like to own a puppy!<br />Before: My dad's DVD wish list: The Godfather, Michael Jackson's best videos (please DON'T ASK!), westerns, etc.<br />Now: Barney DVDs (PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE DON'T ASK!!!!!!)<br />Before: I would get stuffed animals for my sister and maybe my significant other.<br />Now: Sorry, ladies, you'll have to wait some... there's only room for two teddy bears and those are for the twin babies!<br />Before: "Mom, how are you and dad doing? And how's my sister, by the way?"<br />Now: "Mom, how are the girls? (long pause) oh yes, and how's dad? and how's the girl's mom... I mean, how's my sister?"<br /><br /></span></span></span></span><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisKYb1cXVD4b-sfdghITgKmKhYtZSXlBPkXrEaHXJ7fOXDcOHOWoLc04k2ETqxOdeXTSqOHMhZ3I1k-kn2wj_YZZ5XpAqH1LtK-m3orAo3RR9gktuFkm623vBJQaIRXco_LiJLJcdkD90/s1600-h/l.1+a%2B%C2%A6o+isabela+y+manuela+045.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 198px; height: 147px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisKYb1cXVD4b-sfdghITgKmKhYtZSXlBPkXrEaHXJ7fOXDcOHOWoLc04k2ETqxOdeXTSqOHMhZ3I1k-kn2wj_YZZ5XpAqH1LtK-m3orAo3RR9gktuFkm623vBJQaIRXco_LiJLJcdkD90/s320/l.1+a%2B%C2%A6o+isabela+y+manuela+045.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5224781865832681682" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdbMubJnZcI3ApZdvCDD41sh_INAZQHPvqsygXo9k5BdocUFpQ3TDPqnm-prjGkEYy6y9nAkka_rUPpPEWeUjcYYhsfBCtJV5eMQXd1b3PSIWtmwty7NtwZ1RU5bGlZ5St2fT9w6iG2PM/s1600-h/k.fotos+rec.+isabella+y+manuela+057+%2822%29.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 201px; height: 147px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdbMubJnZcI3ApZdvCDD41sh_INAZQHPvqsygXo9k5BdocUFpQ3TDPqnm-prjGkEYy6y9nAkka_rUPpPEWeUjcYYhsfBCtJV5eMQXd1b3PSIWtmwty7NtwZ1RU5bGlZ5St2fT9w6iG2PM/s320/k.fotos+rec.+isabella+y+manuela+057+%2822%29.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5224781867282615810" border="0" /></a><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: rgb(204, 0, 0);"><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><span style="color: rgb(255, 153, 255);">These are just mundane examples of how life changed for me after the twins were born. Yes, I still oppose with every inch of my will to buying that Barney paraphernalia, but that'll be the first thing I'll pack if and when I go home to visit... I know my parents won't look at me funny if I don't bring them a present, but I'll have to carry my passport all day long because my family will send me on a guilt trip for the ages if I forget that Barney stuff. But, again, this is </span></span></span></span><span style="color: rgb(204, 0, 0);"><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><span style="color: rgb(255, 153, 255);">just the simple stuff...</span></span></span></span><br /></div><span style="color: rgb(204, 0, 0);"><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><span style="color: rgb(255, 153, 255);"><br /><br /></span></span></span></span><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1e_DEn_L3ZqFdoZWXvU6m3cJdsSHyQiJymuS6dLgVfw1WM5nS4g2Dxqdcxn1J0sxdsYNgQo7PoXmRZ7pnyMSkltsHzinTAr1kVVt74ouSM723fGbqvApczceXJ_FWueJh-0XDpcOb4xg/s1600-h/j.fotos+rec.+isabella+y+manuela+y+mama+057+%287%29.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 198px; height: 146px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1e_DEn_L3ZqFdoZWXvU6m3cJdsSHyQiJymuS6dLgVfw1WM5nS4g2Dxqdcxn1J0sxdsYNgQo7PoXmRZ7pnyMSkltsHzinTAr1kVVt74ouSM723fGbqvApczceXJ_FWueJh-0XDpcOb4xg/s320/j.fotos+rec.+isabella+y+manuela+y+mama+057+%287%29.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5224784128463705842" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi27qRbckUTopylVqbpkNP2u6on30UBiFfwnpRHejLwpTCMF5Lg3-DACzbm9AWv293MnuBPjqZu6PETnyfyLPeLMXVVajK-fCrvXvaEz5aAMWFuDJ6-KRZDFUB39xaRkqmvnPWeNJwQLSk/s1600-h/Isa+y+Manu+March+08+03.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 197px; height: 146px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi27qRbckUTopylVqbpkNP2u6on30UBiFfwnpRHejLwpTCMF5Lg3-DACzbm9AWv293MnuBPjqZu6PETnyfyLPeLMXVVajK-fCrvXvaEz5aAMWFuDJ6-KRZDFUB39xaRkqmvnPWeNJwQLSk/s320/Isa+y+Manu+March+08+03.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5224784126318628818" border="0" /></a><br /><br /></div><span style="color: rgb(204, 0, 0);"><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><span style="color: rgb(255, 153, 255);"><span style="color: rgb(153, 51, 153);">As I hinted above, I really knew my life changed after that call in December, 2005. The minute it dawned on me, "I'm going to be an uncle" (and yes, I'm that oddball uncle by defaut, and I can live with that!), my outlook on life changed. It is weird, really. I know they're my sister's kids, but they're somehow mine too. I can't help talking about them every other sentence. Even my older blogs had that little "gratuitous twin nieces update" section. There's a sense of transcendence in knowing your family has extended. I know that something clicked the first time I saw those tiny little ones through the window, lying on their incubators. Call me silly if you may, but I could feel they knew exactly who I was. When my sister approached them for me to look at them the day before I returned to Champaign, that saying, "blood is thicker than water," seemed to make a lot more sense. Right now, they <span style="font-style: italic;">do </span>know exactly who I am, and I have to thank my sister and my mom for making my presence in those girls' lives be active. They recognize my pictures and they address me by the title that thus far makes me the proudest: <span style="font-style: italic;">Tío Raúl</span> (Sure, Dr. Mora is gonna look pretty fancy, but this one takes the cake for now!!!!). Knowing that they will recognize me when I get off the plane is a really big deal for me.<br /><br /></span></span></span></span></span><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjlFnQd9r2s8YB9-wQIPJaafj5qXeZmkqGCpOWN6GrR0kBr1ys9nN7XsP5yd3PuoIVk7fquiH9U4hR4JbL0QGZGsIneNQoPWdEEMnv-mMlaB5L5_PMPFNPTvjW70OOpvYk0hSMlPSkgvw/s1600-h/n654601358_454867_9191.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 198px; height: 146px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjlFnQd9r2s8YB9-wQIPJaafj5qXeZmkqGCpOWN6GrR0kBr1ys9nN7XsP5yd3PuoIVk7fquiH9U4hR4JbL0QGZGsIneNQoPWdEEMnv-mMlaB5L5_PMPFNPTvjW70OOpvYk0hSMlPSkgvw/s320/n654601358_454867_9191.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5224784131662834594" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdspru1DKqM8gFV2tQeZ1MUdYwyfG1lpM_uUTUksX6EPppNTbyzWBO0816FMqnUzoiYHqNiUh1QONMXlSTmQBzJK4MuFnctsC6HGBFZiIszj08sn4XYdQz0_P7sVGYbRKpZ2rjZWzck60/s1600-h/n654601358_454548_834.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 198px; height: 146px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdspru1DKqM8gFV2tQeZ1MUdYwyfG1lpM_uUTUksX6EPppNTbyzWBO0816FMqnUzoiYHqNiUh1QONMXlSTmQBzJK4MuFnctsC6HGBFZiIszj08sn4XYdQz0_P7sVGYbRKpZ2rjZWzck60/s320/n654601358_454548_834.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5224784131836376338" border="0" /></a><br /><br /></div><span style="color: rgb(204, 0, 0);"><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><span style="color: rgb(255, 153, 255);"><span style="color: rgb(153, 51, 153);">I've also noticed that sense of transcendence I was talking about in the way I approach things: I know that what I'm doing here affects them. I'm sacrificing being with them to pursue my degree and something tells me I owe it to them not to do anything but my very best every single day. I teach my early childhood class with a sense that I need to learn as much as my students because my sister will need all the help she can get to ensure the best education for those tinies. I feel a larger responsibility to live my life as a righteous person, educator, and citizen because I need to lead by example and because they will eventually hold me accountable for my actions and how they'll affect them. Call me idealist, but if they decide to come to the U of I one day, I want them to know that I worked my butt off every single day to leave a good impression here.<br /><br />I can also see my past and my future in them. It's interesting: the first time I saw Isabella (and others have corroborated this), I could see my sister's mirror image right there. She looks just like her mom. What happened when people saw Manuela, on the other hand, was intense: They said she looked like <span style="font-style: italic;">ME</span>! Knowing that someone looks like you, for real, is flattering and challenging. It also makes me wonder about what my own life will look like and whether at some point my sister's and my roles will switch (as in, her being the aunt and my being the parent... the jury's still out on that one!). There are a lot of questions and a lot of challenges. I just know that they're here to stay and their welfare has become one of my priorities now.<br /><br /></span></span></span></span></span><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtk3FGoep3AcK2vpJPQljQgKfa0xFZZlFaSU4yibDg0Y7DYiSTsHtyDfngNvmEC8Xxx0LZWyt7ljzIsQHKlMA1_mPRm1_kSZ2UtFrtTlUzu_6T-wOe5C9CXqn56lXmK60mWc9uS_GLsXU/s1600-h/n654601358_454991_9664.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 199px; height: 147px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtk3FGoep3AcK2vpJPQljQgKfa0xFZZlFaSU4yibDg0Y7DYiSTsHtyDfngNvmEC8Xxx0LZWyt7ljzIsQHKlMA1_mPRm1_kSZ2UtFrtTlUzu_6T-wOe5C9CXqn56lXmK60mWc9uS_GLsXU/s320/n654601358_454991_9664.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5224784138439585794" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPgZhZXHkXcnujIRSBEP08Hx9eHv2VGpX8pOO5HC7W3k1CzcQNUU-hXW_UNEJcBs5utHfb6q6WM1W5tZm4pr5BJ-ZRxUKOGnM0j9yooA8p-u9GnMsDp1VkdNElTsoy91In0HfZAfkapho/s1600-h/n654601358_629755_3972.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 198px; height: 147px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPgZhZXHkXcnujIRSBEP08Hx9eHv2VGpX8pOO5HC7W3k1CzcQNUU-hXW_UNEJcBs5utHfb6q6WM1W5tZm4pr5BJ-ZRxUKOGnM0j9yooA8p-u9GnMsDp1VkdNElTsoy91In0HfZAfkapho/s320/n654601358_629755_3972.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5224785864065713698" border="0" /></a><br /><br /></div><span style="color: rgb(204, 0, 0);"><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><span style="color: rgb(255, 153, 255);"><span style="color: rgb(153, 51, 153);"><span style="color: rgb(51, 153, 153);"><span style="color: rgb(255, 102, 102);">My life changed the day Isabella and Manuela appeared. I embrace their existence as a big part of myself. Through major and minor changes, they've affected my outlook in life, they've given me a lot of reasons to do the things I do. In fact, they actually contributed to the very first thing you'll read on my dissertation after you move past the cover page:<br /><br /></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: rgb(204, 0, 0);"><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><span style="color: rgb(255, 153, 255);"><span style="color: rgb(153, 51, 153);"><span style="color: rgb(51, 153, 153);"><span style="color: rgb(255, 102, 102);">They've contributed the Dedication Page!<br /><br /></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxzAemMnLlX358zTm9lr-abT4O-xouh9vA3g_0EsWKETg3xWk3kYEV3CXRHL4br9pYBVZHt2IOPnI0cK0aeC7Iov80iWFy1u81NnyzIXJYVF-KmwaT_D3eAnzqchU3osa0yz3b0zLZZCs/s1600-h/n654601358_629770_4384.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 197px; height: 146px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxzAemMnLlX358zTm9lr-abT4O-xouh9vA3g_0EsWKETg3xWk3kYEV3CXRHL4br9pYBVZHt2IOPnI0cK0aeC7Iov80iWFy1u81NnyzIXJYVF-KmwaT_D3eAnzqchU3osa0yz3b0zLZZCs/s320/n654601358_629770_4384.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5224785862549646770" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5jO9pxSTjIpbkQLxMMMnlQ_TKsePWoXNXVRctVwPx4jkcL4juFsU-mF-DV2EBdpEdr_2ja5g6uRQga4lJnYcv1BLsybM15DwduYsaM0kcrCc4Bnh5btxvliq4Mv8F767unjhxh3e8QtY/s1600-h/n654601358_629885_6916.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 197px; height: 146px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5jO9pxSTjIpbkQLxMMMnlQ_TKsePWoXNXVRctVwPx4jkcL4juFsU-mF-DV2EBdpEdr_2ja5g6uRQga4lJnYcv1BLsybM15DwduYsaM0kcrCc4Bnh5btxvliq4Mv8F767unjhxh3e8QtY/s320/n654601358_629885_6916.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5224785866117057506" border="0" /></a><br /><br /></div><span style="color: rgb(204, 0, 0);"><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><span style="color: rgb(255, 153, 255);"><span style="color: rgb(153, 51, 153);"><span style="color: rgb(51, 153, 153);"><span style="color: rgb(255, 102, 102);">It was two years since I got that phone call from dad announcing the good news that I was officially an uncle. Their presence reminds me of that metaphor of "windows and mirrors." I've seen most of their lives through windows because that's how our relationship started and how it's been, living their childhood vicariously. But, they've also offered me a mirror to see where I want my life to go. These have been two fantastic years for me, with some ups and downs, with some good breaks and some not as good, but always with the notion that I am truly here for something larger than myself. Maybe one day I may have children, and then Gonzo 2.0 will change forever. Until then, these two are a big ray of light in my daily woes and my grad student life.<br /><br />For all, that, all I can say today is:<br /><br />Thank you girls! and HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU BOTH!!!! I'll be celebrating right here but right next to you in heart and spirit!!! Lots of love to you two, my girls!!!!<br /><br /></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkUQvLXW3vvlm1uoQOYX99v1edwB2ricPMUYvlHJVdVtnRB-KEBRavFmCFCtmjgaGbH8jzSf71gj6spMsssCFfJQQlWoCWKBHnsxNsJ8g8Q11zd9Ajg271Eq-7drQPajyZlrJTb_6cX18/s1600-h/n654601358_629751_1416.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 198px; height: 146px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkUQvLXW3vvlm1uoQOYX99v1edwB2ricPMUYvlHJVdVtnRB-KEBRavFmCFCtmjgaGbH8jzSf71gj6spMsssCFfJQQlWoCWKBHnsxNsJ8g8Q11zd9Ajg271Eq-7drQPajyZlrJTb_6cX18/s320/n654601358_629751_1416.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5224786661198270018" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZ-oDdqNuJfEH2YneOMWDVuzIl3_nokadsPkdRY-F5XFCkHn2dLjMRhmNXCyk3eLWwoX4nvvnDUzcfVLy4lKhx-4GO8UMe_CJAlZJU2DBiI6mx_UX6i9ueqIF5hwNqCP1FJFEcFNnjTUo/s1600-h/n654601358_629854_5882.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 193px; height: 146px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZ-oDdqNuJfEH2YneOMWDVuzIl3_nokadsPkdRY-F5XFCkHn2dLjMRhmNXCyk3eLWwoX4nvvnDUzcfVLy4lKhx-4GO8UMe_CJAlZJU2DBiI6mx_UX6i9ueqIF5hwNqCP1FJFEcFNnjTUo/s320/n654601358_629854_5882.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5224786663182422002" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /></div><span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);font-family:trebuchet ms;" >That's it for now. Till my next blog, <span style="font-style: italic;">THEY</span> bid farewell!<br /><br /></span><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKHwrf0TxvNrbNjollynDePavPAGNIEtF65b3zv5zSlr3xLMNUstJDvK2Z9wiJe-Svybg42-JoSj5sg7NbQ0xJv7BnyW08saCINWXgrjVoDpMb-QEw-f-QNn3Xhi5djXvPGTBfX6JgXDo/s1600-h/n654601358_629851_4632.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 198px; height: 146px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKHwrf0TxvNrbNjollynDePavPAGNIEtF65b3zv5zSlr3xLMNUstJDvK2Z9wiJe-Svybg42-JoSj5sg7NbQ0xJv7BnyW08saCINWXgrjVoDpMb-QEw-f-QNn3Xhi5djXvPGTBfX6JgXDo/s320/n654601358_629851_4632.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5224785867483783682" border="0" /></a><br /></div><span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);font-family:trebuchet ms;" ><br />The Blogger, the Thinker, the Provocateur...<br />Raúl A. (El Patrón)</span><br /></div><span style="color: rgb(204, 0, 0);"><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><span style="color: rgb(255, 153, 255);"><span style="color: rgb(153, 51, 153);"><span style="color: rgb(51, 153, 153);"><span style="color: rgb(255, 102, 102);"></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></div><span style="color: rgb(204, 0, 0);"><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><span style="color: rgb(255, 153, 255);"></span></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: rgb(204, 0, 0);"><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><span style="color: rgb(255, 153, 255);"></span></span></span></span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(204, 0, 0);"><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><span style="color: rgb(255, 153, 255);"></span></span></span></span></div><span style="color: rgb(204, 0, 0);"><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><span style="color: rgb(255, 153, 255);"><br /></span></span></span></span><span style="color: rgb(204, 0, 0);"><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"></span></span></span></div>el patron himself, Dr. Raúl A. Morahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07874252858044754446noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3021884291134853048.post-47196270554597929592008-07-13T12:18:00.000-05:002008-07-13T22:02:08.992-05:00Superman or Batman? The Choice is Yours!<span style="color: rgb(51, 204, 255);font-size:100%;" ><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><span style="color: rgb(255, 204, 51);">Greetings to all my fellow friends, bloggers, and readers around the world. First things first, bat-knowledgements to some of my friends:<br /><br />First, to Mr. B-Hernz, Esq. for his admission to U of I Law </span></span></span><span style="color: rgb(51, 204, 255);font-size:100%;" ><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><span style="color: rgb(255, 204, 51);">School. St. Funs still lives on in Chambana! Second, let me send props to the loveliest, most amazing woman... my girlfriend! Finally, I;ll start promoting my friends' blogs when I know about them. Here's the first ad for my friend Yupin: http://www.yupinblog.com. If you have a blog and would like the provocateur himself to advertise it, just drop me a line!<br /><br />No update on the twins this week either. Next week's blog is all about them!</span></span></span><br /><span style="color: rgb(51, 204, 255);font-size:100%;" ><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><span style="color: rgb(255, 204, 51);"><br />So now, on to the main event!<br /><br /></span></span></span><div style="text-align: center; color: rgb(51, 204, 255);"><span style="color: rgb(0, 51, 51);font-size:100%;" ><span style="color: rgb(0, 51, 0);font-family:trebuchet ms;" ><span style="color: rgb(153, 153, 255);">Superman or Batman? Choose Wisely, for Ye Shalt be Judged upon Thy Choice!</span><br /><br /></span></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSu48Dg7rtymnxiRUMK2fjFdJhXlPtmfpOh-J3pDUTM4IqGv3oDAiHonT_7SsvLSjPqaLsPqRlgMTDCHVdew9s_a2iu4LyeEe7I2JmN9IxiCISvIaCY5WV_Ni0ZAOuB5mQH6IAFP3dZQM/s1600-h/Superman___Batman.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSu48Dg7rtymnxiRUMK2fjFdJhXlPtmfpOh-J3pDUTM4IqGv3oDAiHonT_7SsvLSjPqaLsPqRlgMTDCHVdew9s_a2iu4LyeEe7I2JmN9IxiCISvIaCY5WV_Ni0ZAOuB5mQH6IAFP3dZQM/s320/Superman___Batman.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5222694537929263074" border="0" /></a><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><span style="color: rgb(0, 51, 51);"><span style="color: rgb(51, 204, 255);">Well, the Blog Knight, the Caped Blogger, the World's Greatest Blogger is back upon us! (by now, we already established I'm geeked about the new Batman flick, right!) This blog is partly about Batman, partly about the kind of person you are. Your choice of comics will say a lot!</span><br /></span></span></span><div style="text-align: left;"><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUCGKiqA3Y4aQLbnsnPdZEr1PXrJaF9rwla3BJYzvUWMn1ayqoJV3IlXwculLCf-CE1F4Pel1YNZFE_R7whg_GN1WN1o7PMuUZXrGHms-FfvPEw3WYMitfkXXyyXjMMwgCFZ7KoYgRDyY/s1600-h/10101869A~John-Travolta-Pulp-Fiction-Posters.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 141px; height: 112px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUCGKiqA3Y4aQLbnsnPdZEr1PXrJaF9rwla3BJYzvUWMn1ayqoJV3IlXwculLCf-CE1F4Pel1YNZFE_R7whg_GN1WN1o7PMuUZXrGHms-FfvPEw3WYMitfkXXyyXjMMwgCFZ7KoYgRDyY/s320/10101869A~John-Travolta-Pulp-Fiction-Posters.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5222697619246375794" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi34CaBqlEvx2K_ZpslicvCqIlRIQlPkp4fg0smDoXK5957-itFFQDrrNcNzPuw9ji192Vcc70GWYCi2DPHRgnIjiV-hCJEiEDuSd7m-S5rpdM6y4aRUhyphenhyphenBY_CRa_9n5UoQ6BddcDuHw9I/s1600-h/pulp_fiction_xl_01.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 149px; height: 112px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi34CaBqlEvx2K_ZpslicvCqIlRIQlPkp4fg0smDoXK5957-itFFQDrrNcNzPuw9ji192Vcc70GWYCi2DPHRgnIjiV-hCJEiEDuSd7m-S5rpdM6y4aRUhyphenhyphenBY_CRa_9n5UoQ6BddcDuHw9I/s320/pulp_fiction_xl_01.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5222697619841079154" border="0" /></a></div></div><div style="text-align: center; color: rgb(51, 204, 255);"><br /></div><span style="color: rgb(51, 204, 255);font-size:100%;" ><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><span style="color: rgb(0, 51, 51);"><span style="color: rgb(51, 204, 255);">This discussion is actually inspired by Quentin Tarantino's </span><span style="font-style: italic; color: rgb(51, 204, 255);">Pulp Fiction. </span><span style="color: rgb(51, 204, 255);">In one of the conversations between Mia Wallace (Uma Thurman) and Vincent Vega (John Travolta), Mia ask</span></span></span></span><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><span style="color: rgb(0, 51, 51);"><span style="color: rgb(51, 204, 255);">s Vincent whether he is an Elvis guy or a Beatles guy. That's where this Superman or Batman discussion stems from. Granted, in most of my thoughts I don't believe in binary oppositions (hence my conceptual disagreements with French linguist Ferdinand de Saussure), but I'll make allowance here since the binary opposition more than serves my purpose. Choosing between Superman and Batman is one of the big dilemmas of some hardcore and less fervient fans.</span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(51, 204, 255);">The question, then is, why Batman and not Superman? Here are my two reasons:</span><br /><br /></span></span></span><div style="text-align: center; color: rgb(153, 153, 255);"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMV2wY7iut5p10lXAM7h3jVfPX_61xQ_edb3JlGrh6QPYWZoQzBis_C2fr6QTZjuublMFtMi59gHcmAmpW2O0uf4sZM7eLwmKK-vz8cGQHLI8GrZ0aT8yId4eK7ZUh_3K6DRRJpKGOCpY/s1600-h/batman1.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMV2wY7iut5p10lXAM7h3jVfPX_61xQ_edb3JlGrh6QPYWZoQzBis_C2fr6QTZjuublMFtMi59gHcmAmpW2O0uf4sZM7eLwmKK-vz8cGQHLI8GrZ0aT8yId4eK7ZUh_3K6DRRJpKGOCpY/s320/batman1.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5222694746682847362" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">1. Superman is actually a condescending prick!</span><br /></div><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><span style="color: rgb(0, 51, 51);"><br /><span style="color: rgb(51, 204, 255);">Here allow me to quote directly on a man whose persona of Kwai Chang Caine is a lot wiser than me, David Carradine as Bill. From Kill Bill 2:</span><br /><br /></span></span></span><span style="font-family:georgia;">"As you know, l'm quite keen on comic books. Especially the ones about superheroes. I find the </span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjz-Hgt5lKMcZnHlswrIAgaT4yr344LE5F0OSBEPeMA8ue1FPRM5TXnysiukt2VvojHZK5d10lKxSr9ZGyadIdz1hpbuEj4SMsvQcqnxecWs2X0zV7pP1Vjeo4AGf6oRDsZtOp7d5qsfKA/s1600-h/bill2.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjz-Hgt5lKMcZnHlswrIAgaT4yr344LE5F0OSBEPeMA8ue1FPRM5TXnysiukt2VvojHZK5d10lKxSr9ZGyadIdz1hpbuEj4SMsvQcqnxecWs2X0zV7pP1Vjeo4AGf6oRDsZtOp7d5qsfKA/s320/bill2.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5222698188554652306" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family:georgia;">whole mythology surrounding superheroes fascinating. Take my favorite superhero, Superman. Not a great comic book. Not particularly well-drawn. But the mythology... The mythology is not only great, it's unique. Now, a staple of the superhero mythology is, there's the superhero and there's the alter ego. Batman is actually Bruce Wayne, Spider-Man is actually Peter Parker. When that character wakes up in the morning, he's Peter Parker. He has to put on a costume to become Spider-Man. And it is in that characteristic Superman stands alone. Superman didn't become Superman. Superman was born Superman. When Superman wakes up in the morning, he's Superman. His alter ego is Clark Kent. His outfit with the big red "S", that's the blanket he was wrapped in as a baby when the Kents found him. Those are his clothes. What Kent wears - the glasses, the business suit - that's the costume. That's the costume Superman wears to blend in with us. Clark Kent is how Superman views us. And what are the characteristics of Clark Kent. He's weak... he's unsure of himself... he's a coward. Clark Kent is Superman's critique on the whole human race."<br /><br />(Source: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0378194/quotes)<br /><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">I agree with this. Whereas Batman represents a man's resilience in overcoming his fears (to the dark, to bats, etc.) and using them to fuel his cause for justice, Superman believes he is inherently better than us and therefore needs to make fun of our fears since we wouldn't be able to overcome them without his almighty self. Pompous SOB, I say!<br /><br /></span></span><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family:georgia;"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><span style="color: rgb(153, 153, 255);">2. Batman is a self-made superhero.</span><br /><br /></span></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh597j_hXrs12f-fFqlKQ-hvBgGd7tUxInM1xxxiRtLFnibumv3SzveoymSYccOr0nDUVE_2P_LmC6PVsFLsdxmiRcS892LSd4PuVwVZDciG5nBAnurasgFGTqv-JO-wWqFQ0V4eP_y5IY/s1600-h/Dark_Knight_2.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh597j_hXrs12f-fFqlKQ-hvBgGd7tUxInM1xxxiRtLFnibumv3SzveoymSYccOr0nDUVE_2P_LmC6PVsFLsdxmiRcS892LSd4PuVwVZDciG5nBAnurasgFGTqv-JO-wWqFQ0V4eP_y5IY/s320/Dark_Knight_2.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5222695005706621746" border="0" /></a><br /></div><span style="font-family:georgia;"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">To the best of my knowledge, and I kindly ask comic book buffs to throw me a bone here, I can only recall three superheroes that made themselves as such in a combination of technology, resources (as in a crapload of money in Mr. Wayne's and Mr. Stark's cases!), skill, training, and sheer human ingenuity: Iron Man (aka Tony Stark), The Punisher (aka Frank Castle) and the aforementioned Caped Crusader. What about the others? Well, here's a brief summary: (Note: This is extracted and edited from a Skype conversation between my girlfriend and me... and then you wonder why I love this woman?)<br /><br />Superman came from another planet and had his strength increased by the yellow sun;Wonder Woman, Aquaman, and Thor are demigod-like characters born with their powers; Spider-Man was bitten by a radioactive spider, which gave him superhuman strength (but, duly noted, not the ability to shoot spider webs); Green Lantern was given his powers by an alien police force who bestowed upon him a super ring; Flash, The Fantastic Four, and the Incredible Hulk, obtained his superpowers from an experiment gone awry; the X-Men were born with mutant superpowers; Hawkman and Martian Manhunter are superpowered soldiers from another planet; Hellboy was the son of the Prince of Darkness himself; Spawn was a former special ops whose powers were given, again, by the Prince of Darkness himself;... and those are the ones off the top of my head...<br /><br />Now, let's look at Batman (and the other two I mentioned)...<br /><br /></span></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjZvS_pVdkJfCJdiDQ457fohPZz96SAqoqqe6Ao-cse0XXi6ldt88HFXrR5MCGVfs1s9QzGZWEhBshjJ8s3NaEsTNynoKI1soKwpN8FYw2B2BrGXdOcikQ3w68zaIt_QDDzlCHfVvY1m8/s1600-h/punisher.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 176px; height: 156px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjZvS_pVdkJfCJdiDQ457fohPZz96SAqoqqe6Ao-cse0XXi6ldt88HFXrR5MCGVfs1s9QzGZWEhBshjJ8s3NaEsTNynoKI1soKwpN8FYw2B2BrGXdOcikQ3w68zaIt_QDDzlCHfVvY1m8/s320/punisher.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5222697000652707250" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiX3YdVo7MGAN7UM-viu5_l4F4Pe4z7deoRfnjbNEKcjtxNRmgmvrm1QUdAT7k2Y-P0KX2oPsMa5PKmbn2G65hAOnakTF-jv47rlcelwD6DACQwJhzZOxwjmiKAgiCDAgdy-xrUwhJmOCA/s1600-h/poster_ironman_comicon.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 147px; height: 217px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiX3YdVo7MGAN7UM-viu5_l4F4Pe4z7deoRfnjbNEKcjtxNRmgmvrm1QUdAT7k2Y-P0KX2oPsMa5PKmbn2G65hAOnakTF-jv47rlcelwD6DACQwJhzZOxwjmiKAgiCDAgdy-xrUwhJmOCA/s320/poster_ironman_comicon.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5222697003654536914" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfU4jOAT0uPBqn9HE1s1mLfPt_6oJ2xK_BQmMNKqRDbBZWc8IMgm7XxOYgGmyT5Mj4sOf_5Mhw1M_RGGZB2OBWpBaag1eSCqF5NSuu-zb_QJtVxTRdEfOfXcRzfHr6iS76kiXOlue7GOY/s1600-h/Dark_Knight_2.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 217px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfU4jOAT0uPBqn9HE1s1mLfPt_6oJ2xK_BQmMNKqRDbBZWc8IMgm7XxOYgGmyT5Mj4sOf_5Mhw1M_RGGZB2OBWpBaag1eSCqF5NSuu-zb_QJtVxTRdEfOfXcRzfHr6iS76kiXOlue7GOY/s320/Dark_Knight_2.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5222697253652893442" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-family:georgia;"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><br />True, Bruce Wayne is </span></span><span style="font-family:georgia;"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">the son of a billionaire, but the death of his parents pushed him to the edge of vengeance first and justice later. After getting extensive physical and tactical training, he used his resources to create gadgets and devices that would aid him in his quest. The Punisher was a former agent whose family was killed. So, he starts chasing bad guys, using his training in weapons, fighting, and counter terrorism to defeat them. Iron Man is the creation of yet another billionaire. Tony Stark, after getting captured after an explosion creates an armor to escape and with all the resources available to him, creates a super-armor fueled by the electromagnet on his chest which was devised to prevent the shrapnel from the explosion of which he was a victim to puncture his heart.<br /><br />As you can see, Batman is the example of how people use their ingenuity and resilience to overcome obstacles. Batman doesn't have any special built-in powers. His strength? Let's just say that Batman is the original Mixed Martial Artist. His weapons? Created by himself or a decent team of engineers who gave him the famous utility belt. No crazy DNA, weird science or voodoo stuff here, folks! That's why Batman is the real goods!<br /></span></span><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><br />So there you have it! Who will you ultimately be rooting for? Some dude from outer space with the perfect hair who thinks he's much better than us, lives in a vanilla city like Metropolis, and is overly condescending upon us? Or an Earth dude who is an example of intelligence, resources, and motivation to save Gotham, a city as light and dark as our actual cities? It's up to you... Me, I already gave my endorsement to Batman as Head Superhero in Charge!<br /></span></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVLrSXUKMTtBQfO3AEx4fZMov2Ejgzw4fh39AHT9P0KZnHuaBdqDAuCuZ8iwfJlvC5UyVxjO4LpnOjzT0BI-wXzPySQ8VYCZ-3VU5Bvz3AOBDqibTmfS7fPeNBtNP6oM8cCEi2B7JC5zQ/s1600-h/the_dark_knight_outro_poster.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVLrSXUKMTtBQfO3AEx4fZMov2Ejgzw4fh39AHT9P0KZnHuaBdqDAuCuZ8iwfJlvC5UyVxjO4LpnOjzT0BI-wXzPySQ8VYCZ-3VU5Bvz3AOBDqibTmfS7fPeNBtNP6oM8cCEi2B7JC5zQ/s320/the_dark_knight_outro_poster.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5222695200142194418" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="color: rgb(153, 153, 255);font-family:trebuchet ms;" >That's it for now. Till my next blog, I bid farewell!<br /><br />The Blogger, the Thinker, the Provocateur...<br />Raúl A. (El Patrón)</span><br /><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><br /></span></span></div></div>el patron himself, Dr. Raúl A. Morahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07874252858044754446noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3021884291134853048.post-16983324387641111942008-05-28T18:54:00.000-05:002008-05-28T19:57:25.718-05:00With Apologies to Dennis Miller... Or A Vocabulary Rant as a Break from the 800-lb Gorilla<span style="color: rgb(102, 102, 0);"><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">Greetings to all my fellow readers and bloggers around the world. It's summer time, which in the Prarie State means one day of splendorous weather sandwiched between a thunderstorm and a 100-degree heat wave for a 3-month period.<br /><br />Before getting into the meat of it, the acknowledgments: First, to my friends who recently graduated in '08: CONGRATULATIONS, and I promise I'll be joining the ranks of the cap-and-gown wearing, diploma-bearing, hood-sporting crowds pretty soon. Second, to everybody who wished me a Happy (34th) Birthday: THANKS! Also, thanks to everybody who keeps supporting me in my ongoing recovery. Finally, props to my girlfriend (that story will be the subject of another blog coming very soon)... it feels good to have you around!<br /><br />There will be no updates about my nieces. I'm saving all of those for a longer blog coming in July. So, as Mills Lane would say, "Let's get it on!"<br /><br /></span></span><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: rgb(102, 102, 0);"><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;"><span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">I Don't Mean to Go off on a Rant Here... But...</span><br /><br /></span></span><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: rgb(102, 102, 0);"><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;"><span style="color: rgb(255, 153, 0);">Those were the famous words of comedian Dennis Miller every time he would go off on a rant about something in today's society that bothered him. We all have pet peeves. That's part of human nature. I got a few here and there, like people who can't get their grammar straight and keep claiming that IM, Facebook status messages, and e-mail are some sort of grammar-free zone where "you're" is the same as "your" and "they're," "there," and "their" are actually interchangeable; where "then" is the form of choice for the comparative; and apostrophes can be placed willy-nilly. Of course, there is also the case of people who decide against my will that I have to eavesdrop their conversations while I'm trying to read the stuff for Chapter Two of my dissertation. And, how can we forget the occasional "movie color commentator," the person right behind you at the theatre who decides that they need to not only explain the plot, characters, settings, etc. of the movie to their date/partner/friend sitting next to them, but also feel the urge to warn the hero of every peril ahead of him/her.<br /><br />However, this rant is not about them. They too will get their day in court. This is about the misuse of certain words that are becoming trivialized and losing their actual value. Again, with apologies to Dennis Miller (and no one else... in case you failed to read the title of my blog, the last word is "provocateur..." and I intend to live up to its bill this time around), I don't mean to go off on a rant here but...<br /><br /></span></span></span><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: rgb(102, 102, 0);"><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;"><span style="color: rgb(255, 153, 0);"><span style="color: rgb(204, 0, 0);">Why do millionaire athletes claim they're "Hungry?"</span><br /><br /></span></span></span><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: rgb(102, 102, 0);"><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;"><span style="color: rgb(255, 153, 0);"><span style="color: rgb(0, 153, 0);">Before the Bard starts rolling over on his grave, spare me the Shakespearian/"poetic license"/metaphor theory here. Some words should never be taken lightly, hungry being one of them. Yes, yes, I know that one of the definitions of "hungry," according to the Merriam-Webster Dictionary (http://www.merriam-webster.com) is, "Strongly motivated (as by ambition)." But, there is a sense of irony here. Where there are people dying of actual hunger, I find it ironic that some people who've never really experienced hunger first-hand (and no, I haven't... my dad has though and he banned us from saying that we were starving or "dying of hunger" at home since we didn't really know what it was like to be in a jungle for one week feeding on leaves or the soles of your shoes... dad taught me and my sister well about not blowing things out of proportion) talk about how "hungry" they are. That just cheapens suffering when you use the same descriptor to explain your desire for a championship ring in the NBA and your desire for at least an onion ring somewhere in an impoverished village in Central Africa. </span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 153, 0);">I mean, if there was a public outrage over an athlete saying that playing a rivalry game was like going to war for him, we should also put athletes on notice that they have no right to claim to be hungry, unless they themselves have dealt with it as they were growing up. Oh yes, I have read stories about athletes coming from Africa, Brazil, Colombia, and other developing countries, as well as minority athletes coming from impoverished areas in the U.S. who talk about their families' struggles to make ends meet. I just can assure you that none of them would be so trigger-happy to say they're "hungry" for a championship. You can hear that, however, from the mouths of the children of a former Roland Garros champion and two former NBA stars... if you're sports savvy, yes, I'm talking about three former Florida Gators, who could afford not to test the NBA waters and stick around for school one more year because they were "hungry" for another title. Enough said! So, seriously, let's watch out what we're really hungry for... some people can't even tell you they are because they're too weak to utter that sentence...</span><br /><br /></span></span></span><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: rgb(204, 0, 0);"><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">When Did "Survivor" Start Handing Diplomas?<br /></span></span><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: rgb(204, 0, 0);"><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;"><br /><span style="color: rgb(204, 102, 0);">My second rant of the blog has to do with the trivialization of the term "Alum," the reduced form of the term "Alumnus" or "Alumna" (by the way, "Alumni" is the PLURAL form of "Alumnus," so please refrain from say you are "An Alumni" from a school!). Let me provide this definition from Wikipedia, </span></span></span><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms; color: rgb(204, 102, 0);">"As indicated in the </span><i style="font-family: trebuchet ms; color: rgb(204, 102, 0);"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_Heritage_Dictionary" class="mw-redirect" title="American Heritage Dictionary">American Heritage Dictionary</a></i><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms; color: rgb(204, 102, 0);">, an alumnus or alumna is either someone who has attended the school (or a "former student of a school") or someone who has graduated from the school." Yes, by definition, An alum(nus/a) is someone who either went to school or preferably graduated. So, when exchange students write that they are "UIllinois Alum" in their profiles, that is very accurate. When I write that I am a "Fulbright Alumnus," it is accurate since I was given a scholarship to pursue my master's. Anybody who has attended an <span style="font-style: italic;">educational institution </span>by extension can call him/herself an alum.<br /><br />What really irks me is when you start referring to anyone who has been on a TV show (a la <span style="font-style: italic;">Saturday Night Live</span>) or a reality TV show as "Alums" of that show. Really, I wonder what curriculum they had to pursue to earn the right to be alums of "Survivor College," "Flavor of Love Polytechnic," or "The Real World/Road Rules State University?" I mean, it is hard work to get a Bachelor's, for instance. I know that my friends who just graduated had to spend lots of hours at the library to get theirs. I know that my education students have to bust their chops every semester and keep a high GPA just to get, in some cases, their education MINORS (at this point, anyone who claims you don't have to study hard if you're in education doesn't want to know how far up your humanity you'll have to go to give me my walking cane back!). In order for me to be an "Alumnus" of The University of Illinois, I first had to write a thesis and now I have to write this 2000-lb gorilla otherwise known as my dissertation. So excuse me if I hurt a few sensitivities by being irked by a few reality-TV castaways who are so devoid of parental love and need to be called "Alums," sometimes to justify the fact that getting drunk on national TV and making "Girls Gone Wild" videos beats getting a decent education! At least there are bona-fide actors and directors who are Alumni/ae of schools around the U.S. (or at worst they attended the school long enough to be recognized as former students). I'm sorry, but I know how hard it is to get your education for someone to try to go the easy way out and simply diminish my (and my friends') accomplishments by using the same title that I have earned.<br /><br />Does this make me an elitist? So what if it does? Getting your education is a big deal and it shouldn't be diminished. Just because I was an Army brat, it doesn't mean I am a "soldier," and being a fan of a team doesn't make me a member of a "Nation." We need to call a spade a spade, and be respectful of what it takes to earn a name. Although it is true, as the Bard once said, that if a rose were called something different it would smell the same, none of you would describe a pile of scum as a "rose."<br /><br />And, in the words of that great cynic, Mr. Miller, "This is my opinion, but I could be wrong!"<br /><br />That's it for now. Till my next blog, I bid farewell!<br /><br />The Blogger, the Thinker, the Provocateur...<br />Raúl A. (El Patrón)<br /></span></div></div></div></div></div></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: rgb(102, 102, 0);"><br /><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;"></span></span></div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: rgb(102, 102, 0);"><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;"></span></span><br /><span style="color: rgb(102, 102, 0);"><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;"></span></span></div>el patron himself, Dr. Raúl A. Morahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07874252858044754446noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3021884291134853048.post-18079668748575054572008-05-01T23:40:00.000-05:002008-05-02T00:21:29.043-05:00The Search for the "James Bond Moment"<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfDPzQZI7ZRP_l_2TawfYNnJaKApJm3O102k3cBY0CT_ZDyRn9heLy31zQcVqufIsXMu4sCSgPyRBWx14TBjq20dXO6W1gME5l2uIAct-d3EX8ESZrDP-t-XpM74RlbmHrbh1P-Ct8hXM/s1600-h/JAMESBO4OS.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfDPzQZI7ZRP_l_2TawfYNnJaKApJm3O102k3cBY0CT_ZDyRn9heLy31zQcVqufIsXMu4sCSgPyRBWx14TBjq20dXO6W1gME5l2uIAct-d3EX8ESZrDP-t-XpM74RlbmHrbh1P-Ct8hXM/s320/JAMESBO4OS.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5195645271333814930" border="0" /></a><span style="color: rgb(153, 102, 51);"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Greetings bloggers and fans around the net. First, thanks to my friends for the words of encouragement about my last blog about my leg. The road to healing is still on and I'll get back to 100% soon enough. I can't thank you all enough for your support.<br /><br />Second, props to what in my mind will be one of the most legendary intramural sports teams of all time: The St. Funs Broomball Club. We had good times and heartbreak, but somewhere along the way, we actually got to really become good friends, brothers if you will. Whether I'll retire from broomball is yet to be decided, but it'll be hard to replicate the experience and I'd rather live with the memories I've already collected.<br /><br />I don't have much of an update on my twin nieces. I promise one very soon and a very special two-year anniversary bl</span></span><span style="color: rgb(153, 102, 51);"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">og about what the arrival of Isabella and Manuela has represented for my life. It'll be a good one, I promise.<br /><br />Now, on to my blog...<br /><br /></span></span><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: rgb(153, 102, 51);"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><span style="color: rgb(204, 0, 0);">Shaken, not Stirred: The Search for the "James Bond" Moment<br /><br /></span></span></span><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: rgb(153, 102, 51);"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><span style="color: rgb(204, 0, 0);"><span style="color: rgb(51, 102, 102);">I won't lie: I am a James Bond fan, the kind of fan that knows that there was such a thing as an actual dude named James Bond, who happened to me an ornitologist and whose name drew inspiration for Ian Fleming to name his 007 MI5 Agent, on Her Majesty's Secret Service. The kind of purist </span></span></span></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtyobSHefbBBEVkLrwZYd8gGpaRbR5FZs4vuWOX9ha7T_6SMnXXuxVUj_cVgMnl_RAc-INVRv4AcCQ2AfoLbBlbi_QuSQA_EkCciSEPq3NLNtoV34cK4-888d5PdWAdceWj-8q7Gz6dqU/s1600-h/007.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtyobSHefbBBEVkLrwZYd8gGpaRbR5FZs4vuWOX9ha7T_6SMnXXuxVUj_cVgMnl_RAc-INVRv4AcCQ2AfoLbBlbi_QuSQA_EkCciSEPq3NLNtoV34cK4-888d5PdWAdceWj-8q7Gz6dqU/s320/007.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5195640813157761650" border="0" /></a><span style="color: rgb(153, 102, 51);"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><span style="color: rgb(204, 0, 0);"><span style="color: rgb(51, 102, 102);">that denounces "Never Say Never Again" as part of the saga. Geekiness aside, there's one reason why James Bond has never lost his allure as a cultural icon: It's the fact that some parts</span></span></span></span><span style="color: rgb(153, 102, 51);"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><span style="color: rgb(204, 0, 0);"><span style="color: rgb(51, 102, 102);"> of his persona are enticing (and no, it's not the neverending list of STD that Mr. Bond probabl</span></span></span></span><span style="color: rgb(153, 102, 51);"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><span style="color: rgb(204, 0, 0);"><span style="color: rgb(51, 102, 102);">y has after so many random encounters with random women!), like the casinos, cars, and of course, the gadgets. As comic Craig Ferguson once said, most of us always anticipated the Bond-Q encounter where Q would go over the gadgets du jour with 00</span></span></span></span><span style="color: rgb(153, 102, 51);"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><span style="color: rgb(204, 0, 0);"><span style="color: rgb(51, 102, 102);">7. It is no surprise that "Bond, James Bond" was picked at the end of the 21st century as the most popular movie phrase of all time. Multiple variations of that have made it to different movies alike. Also, the emergence of so many Bond parodies (Get Smart, Johnny English, Austin Powers, to name a few) and the eternal search for the U.S. version of James Bond (Jason Bourne, anyone?) are more than enough evidence that Commander Bond will always be a point of reference for movie buffs.<br /><br />There is one thing, though, that a lot of people would like to experience first-hand. It's what I like to call "Your own James Bond moment." You may want to feel it while driving, a la the guy from the Ruben Blades song "Decisiones" (Decisions), or while drinking a martini, etc. You don't really need to be able to afford an Aston Martin (although it's gotta be pretty freaking cool to own one, eh?) or sport a Tuxedo (which is still in my list of things to wear while I'm still single) to have one of those. The bottom line is, once you get your James Bond moment, that represents eternal bragging rights and a fun story to share with generations to come!<br /><br />And... oh yes, I DO have my own James Bond moment and I've cherished it ever since it happened. That (and of course being flat broke by virtue of grad school) is the main reason I don't feel like I ever need to hit a casino ever again. I'm in anecdotal mood, so let me share the story...<br /><br /></span></span></span></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVI2jl555USWGYgM-49d6FHV-FMPTENLCV9ktV7O5rt9EbAOLj0B-aVl8_oYjztMACeajsVSNyphLJxNcdCPiqESxlmaio4WXxU5kSql9zgF7r3S6-aybH7cuOHQ9TkxFo6s6FS2-UaCk/s1600-h/CONNERY5.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVI2jl555USWGYgM-49d6FHV-FMPTENLCV9ktV7O5rt9EbAOLj0B-aVl8_oYjztMACeajsVSNyphLJxNcdCPiqESxlmaio4WXxU5kSql9zgF7r3S6-aybH7cuOHQ9TkxFo6s6FS2-UaCk/s320/CONNERY5.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5195644974981071490" border="0" /></a><span style="color: rgb(153, 102, 51);"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><span style="color: rgb(204, 0, 0);"><span style="color: rgb(51, 102, 102);">The year: 1998. The place: Cartagena, Colombia (oh yes, a tourist location with beaches and beautiful women galore; it may not be Monte Carlo, but it was really fun. I recommend visiting Cartagena sometime). The setting: A night in January at a casino right across the street from the place we were staying. This was a moment that was pivotal not only for our vacation but for the moment when the whole "Patron" thing really got going. Here's the situation: A group of close friends (whom we'll call Andres A., Carlos R.D., Javier M., and Javier R. because those are their actual names!) and I came back from a night out and in order to give two friends some space, we went to the aforementioned casino. With a few bucks and our crazy spirits, we took over the locale. We started at the roulette first; after a while, we actually hit the blackjack table. I sat down, Bond style, and started playing. I won some, I lost some. And then...<br /><br />The Pivotal Moment that changed the course of my history...<br /><br />One of the rounds of blackjack, I got five cards: 2, 5, 4, 2, for 13. Decisions, decisions... I couldn't stand pat because the house would win. I could only go for another card and take my chances to go over 21... or maybe get that much-needed 8 and beat the house on that round. After consulting with my entourage (by that point, they actually were in character!), they encouraged me to take my chances. I did and I told the dealer (and I will include the original quote in Spanish):<br /><br />"Tireme ese OCHO que tiene ahi!" (Translation: "Hit me with that EIGHT you've got right there!")<br /><br />I was a rather brash statement, outlandish even. I knew I could make a fool of myself. But, I also knew that the stuff of legends happens in moments like these. The dealer pulled the card.. and... wait for it...<br /><br /></span></span></span></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBXE0kRPn-ginOf52_zztG3w5TttimtqdUE1HNNnpgUcqIl6L-XaxCH-oJIm9yR17VKNWflSUySwrvFGtFGQl6ZgD7jvJ9Pg7GN-0Wropvq8Un8F5h-hCnsM_RX75tlPtJvmwdpS0tCW4/s1600-h/goldfinger.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBXE0kRPn-ginOf52_zztG3w5TttimtqdUE1HNNnpgUcqIl6L-XaxCH-oJIm9yR17VKNWflSUySwrvFGtFGQl6ZgD7jvJ9Pg7GN-0Wropvq8Un8F5h-hCnsM_RX75tlPtJvmwdpS0tCW4/s320/goldfinger.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5195646297830998690" border="0" /></a><span style="color: rgb(153, 102, 51);"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><span style="color: rgb(204, 0, 0);"><span style="color: rgb(51, 102, 102);">Oh my! AN EIGHT OF CLUBS was the card that got me to 21 and won that round. My friends couldn't believe it. I, of course, knew what I was doing (James Bond would too!) and acted nonchalant. Yes, I lost almost all of my money in the next few rounds and left the table with just a buck. Right now, it doesn't matter! That buck could've been spent in a cheap pair of sunglasses or getting ripped off by the oyster guys (another story for another time). But, I wouldn't have my eternal bragging rights, the feeling of knowing EXACTLY what James Bond feels when he beats the bad guys at the table and the fact that for one brief moment... I could go and say...<br /><br />"Yeah, I am Bond... PATRON Bond!"<br /><br /><br /><br />I was in the mood for a light-hearted blog... and this just did it! I hope you enjoyed reading it.<br /><br />I'll be back with more soon. Till my next blog, I bid farewell!<br /><br />The Blogger, the Thinker, the Provocateur...<br />Raúl A. (El Patrón)<br /><br /></span></span></span></span><span style="color: rgb(153, 102, 51);"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><span style="color: rgb(204, 0, 0);"></span></span></span></div></div>el patron himself, Dr. Raúl A. Morahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07874252858044754446noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3021884291134853048.post-27171862287095137382008-04-11T14:48:00.000-05:002008-04-11T16:39:44.015-05:00Three months, one plate, two pins, and five screws later: Reflections about life after a broken leg<span style="color: rgb(255, 153, 0);"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Greetings to all my friends and bloggers around the world. It's been a while since I sat down</span></span><span style="color: rgb(255, 153, 0);"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"> and wrote a blog. I had a bit of writer's block, but as Au</span></span><span style="color: rgb(255, 153, 0);font-family:trebuchet ms;" >stin Powers would say, I've got my mojo back. I had lost my ability to write but it's back and here to stay!</span><br /><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: rgb(255, 153, 0);"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><br />I'll save the acknowledgments for later. But first, here's yet another installment of the...<br /></span></span><span style="color: rgb(255, 153, 0);"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><span style="color: rgb(255, 102, 0);"><br /></span></span></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhajEc456wIgOsPvq7oKe7KpNvBck3dOD812cFaIKOGbCyj2B1tmq3oP-QxRHiNHg_uEbBJnlq2DFsJDTGoIoGmKF7iH92ldl4TcgLicSoVwn_lNUqeaEKwYUAXEY4FNka1PKJUPYp6GOI/s1600-h/Isa+y+Manu+March+08+01.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhajEc456wIgOsPvq7oKe7KpNvBck3dOD812cFaIKOGbCyj2B1tmq3oP-QxRHiNHg_uEbBJnlq2DFsJDTGoIoGmKF7iH92ldl4TcgLicSoVwn_lNUqeaEKwYUAXEY4FNka1PKJUPYp6GOI/s320/Isa+y+Manu+March+08+01.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5188080945822190018" border="0" /></a><span style="color: rgb(255, 153, 0);"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><span style="color: rgb(255, 102, 0);">Gratuitous Twin Nieces Update (Because we finally found someone who'll save us from the abomination that are the Olsen Twins!)</span></span></span><br /><span style="color: rgb(255, 153, 0);"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><span style="color: rgb(255, 102, 0);"><br /></span></span></span><span style="color: rgb(255, 153, 0);"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><span style="color: rgb(255, 102, 0);">Well, the girls are absolutely adorable! They</span></span></span><span style="color: rgb(255, 153, 0);"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><span style="color: rgb(255, 102, 0);">'re looking really pretty and witty and fine. They're able to talk some more and they now fully recognize me, even though they can't fully pronounce my name (the downside of such an awesome name as Raúl is that it takes a while to say that R at the beginning). I also got some pictures to share...<br /></span></span></span><br /><div style="text-align: left;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEginf9HzZpJ1r8JdUx4PnJOWtZM6pCVnIhLHU9GkqZuKAkjxasJ8IGGdDQ5mKNKrU4Mq8tDkGlFxf8yPIcB3rL6Z7K-v_GOTv-DooE6fh1QnXb61uIYYSnyHH14Z8_qVhIchbFx-HerW4g/s1600-h/Isa+y+Manu+March+08+02.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEginf9HzZpJ1r8JdUx4PnJOWtZM6pCVnIhLHU9GkqZuKAkjxasJ8IGGdDQ5mKNKrU4Mq8tDkGlFxf8yPIcB3rL6Z7K-v_GOTv-DooE6fh1QnXb61uIYYSnyHH14Z8_qVhIchbFx-HerW4g/s320/Isa+y+Manu+March+08+02.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5188103846587812434" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><br /></span></div><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><span style="color: rgb(255, 204, 0);"><span style="color: rgb(255, 102, 0);"><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /></span></span></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhh4b1PrySgKXOM9beXALwHn94G0glnGWYYOex-Img5Lx7Pbv05cV2VEPfaOCYP7d_gwlU1jor3nh3JQMb0q-mh3omY96IX8U145RAI3Dh8LakXo5iUkvJ1vULjwmSVeNbASaYFx9Ig0RY/s1600-h/Isa+y+Manu+March+08+03.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhh4b1PrySgKXOM9beXALwHn94G0glnGWYYOex-Img5Lx7Pbv05cV2VEPfaOCYP7d_gwlU1jor3nh3JQMb0q-mh3omY96IX8U145RAI3Dh8LakXo5iUkvJ1vULjwmSVeNbASaYFx9Ig0RY/s320/Isa+y+Manu+March+08+03.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5188103975436831330" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><span style="color: rgb(255, 204, 0);"><span style="color: rgb(255, 102, 0);"><br />That does it for this update. Now, on to my main event...<br /><br /></span></span></span><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><span style="color: rgb(51, 204, 0);">Three Months, One Plate, Two Pins, and Five Screws Later:<br /><br />Reflections about life after a broken leg<br /><br /></span></span><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: rgb(0, 204, 204);font-family:trebuchet ms;" >Before I even start sharing my deeper thoughts, let me tell you this much:<br /><br />I doubt I'll ever get over the cold chill down my spine every time I recall what happened when I landed on the floor after the attempted layup (and no, I don't remember whether I scored or not!) and I felt a pop in my knee and I felt my whole leg bone shifting to the right.<br /></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiv12TDhS9IiwkSogoZX5FB4L1lG_BlE6YkXqSE-vIAO8b_Oy_d1WWsiGoOSUl769QUsAegigwsH2D6TgrgxIz-tJPl7IItBZIjhrGwYzfQeXj85W_pPte5i50wcmdHNZ4aFWXeUswsdK8/s1600-h/122307_12373.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiv12TDhS9IiwkSogoZX5FB4L1lG_BlE6YkXqSE-vIAO8b_Oy_d1WWsiGoOSUl769QUsAegigwsH2D6TgrgxIz-tJPl7IItBZIjhrGwYzfQeXj85W_pPte5i50wcmdHNZ4aFWXeUswsdK8/s320/122307_12373.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5188102150075730418" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 204, 204);font-family:trebuchet ms;" > Every time I relive those images in my brain, I feel the same chill, the same incredulity and I keep wondering why on earth this happened. It still feels surreal, recalling what happened in the next 30 hours after that moment: Calling my friends to come to my aid, getting on the ambulance, feeling loopy from the morphine, experiencing that brief despair when I was told I'd needed surgery, calling my family to tell them, going to surgery, waking up from it, and being at the hospital the next morning. It still feels surreal, like an episode from a drama about life in grad school or something...<br /><br /></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7GegPj0I4R9RStIYLCPHFRngeh-FNgqDpi-S1hgi0wWShU2dmb5FyP2CTrcYVWia36QzylCBfxi6nLx2kJd4s_C_4Wh02IizzD6pcRSRBFzakA01GX0SDZ764gvxO2NpyfU9u0UT1qqQ/s1600-h/P3270257.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7GegPj0I4R9RStIYLCPHFRngeh-FNgqDpi-S1hgi0wWShU2dmb5FyP2CTrcYVWia36QzylCBfxi6nLx2kJd4s_C_4Wh02IizzD6pcRSRBFzakA01GX0SDZ764gvxO2NpyfU9u0UT1qqQ/s320/P3270257.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5188104327624149618" border="0" /></a><span style="color: rgb(0, 204, 204);font-family:trebuchet ms;" >Until I look at my leg and see that this is as real as it gets: An eight-inch scar on my right leg, the crutches, knowing that by the time I can walk unassisted it will most likely be six months. It has been a life-changing journey for me and that's what the next lines will be all about...<br /></span><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><span style="color: rgb(255, 204, 0);"><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />Friends who become family<br /><br /></span></span><div style="text-align: left;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhA6RHt5MTDCqQgptjcD8ezihGb_f4MSFcOupbWqq9Xpn-Z54xDdTWoDR2XcE8qk9ikazx25ppSjDUq4OLy_d5RnSC9ppRRBmi3sP5sHm6wT1G5dDaMgOpOn_orBUI8azNm1GwNDnDKgJE/s1600-h/PC240050.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhA6RHt5MTDCqQgptjcD8ezihGb_f4MSFcOupbWqq9Xpn-Z54xDdTWoDR2XcE8qk9ikazx25ppSjDUq4OLy_d5RnSC9ppRRBmi3sP5sHm6wT1G5dDaMgOpOn_orBUI8azNm1GwNDnDKgJE/s320/PC240050.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5188102420658670082" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><span style="color: rgb(0, 204, 204);">I've said it once and I'll say it again: God only knows that I didn't go through hell and back because of my friends in Champaign. From the moment I landed on the hardwood floor, my friends have stepped up and helped me. Some of them have already transcended that categorization of friends and have become my family away from home. You know who you are and if you read this, it's you I'm talking about. My friends have been able to look past the crutches, the awkward walking, the waiting forever for me to sit down or stand up, and still see me for who I am. Having my parents and sister thousands of miles away, they've been a source of emotional support that's made my life easier to handle. I don't know how long it'll take for me to repay them, but I surely will.<br /><br />Let me say thanks to a few, since the list is long... To my Colombian friends, thanks once again. It's good to know there are so many good Colombians left in the world! To my other friends from around the world, thanks for your support. To my teammates from the best broomball team ever, ST. FUNS, I miss playing defense but I love being your Coach! To my students, thanks for putting up with me. I promised you I'd give you 150% every class and I've delivered! To my family back home: Don't be bummed because you're not here physically. You've been here in spirit every day and you're the main reason I take my therapy so seriously.<br /><br /></span></span><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><span style="color: rgb(255, 204, 0);">Learn, Unlearn, Relearn</span><span style="color: rgb(0, 204, 204);"></span></span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><span style="color: rgb(0, 204, 204);"></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><span style="color: rgb(255, 204, 0);"></span></span><br /><div style="text-align: left;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzB66XV550OCP082L0OBUY802ngecv0gQArXr-I4ASo9DszsjQgrte85wv757U75MJAuY8iwvQX7GCFVH4zwKXMihEGz66H2zJz1iN-GBEgIRLW3rPohL5z7DOOdkJjQC2UnN2Ccb2LmQ/s1600-h/PC310080.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzB66XV550OCP082L0OBUY802ngecv0gQArXr-I4ASo9DszsjQgrte85wv757U75MJAuY8iwvQX7GCFVH4zwKXMihEGz66H2zJz1iN-GBEgIRLW3rPohL5z7DOOdkJjQC2UnN2Ccb2LmQ/s320/PC310080.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5188103271062194738" border="0" /></a><span style="color: rgb(51, 102, 255);font-family:trebuchet ms;" >It's interesting to think about all that we take for granted. Before this, everything was so easy and obvious. Then, I forgot how to walk, standing up was an endurance test, and points A and B were a thousand miles away even if a few yards apart. One of the hardest days was the first weekend when I had my cast put on, at the beginning of January. It was one of those rare 40-Fahrenheit-degree days in Champaign, perfect for a long walk. I ventured outside the apartment as best as I could and sat outside my apartment... and I couldn't help crying out of sheer frustration. It's been tough not to do what I liked to do. As I was lying down in the emergency room, right after I was told I'd need surgery, I couldn't help thinking about all that I'd miss in the spring: My trip to New York, dancing nights, the intramural broomball season (the first game of the season was a tough pill to swallow... it helped me understand what injured athletes feel like at that moment and how tough it is to be on the sidelines when you'd wish otherwise), etc. On the other hand, as the months progress and I regain my ability to walk, I'm starting to look forward to the long walks I'll take and I'm even thinking of getting a brand-new bicycle for the summer. I guess that's part of reaching little milestones every day in therapy.<br /><br /></span><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: rgb(51, 102, 255);font-family:trebuchet ms;" ><span style="color: rgb(255, 204, 0);">The Flip Side of the Coin: I'd never felt discriminated against... until now!<br /><br /></span></span><div style="text-align: left;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOB2fHoD47pbNjX3lT_Jht8sTn4HLA6iHmQxWbNsaY7tdr2rCtLJ-U5X56fqOYVv-KJpdxqoRy-m4Abv-y8ZEt_KJGHm-gWp5vCOFMRvuLqXuQmE-mNLDteRXZoeboZP2KbNnZwfeXHX0/s1600-h/P3270263.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOB2fHoD47pbNjX3lT_Jht8sTn4HLA6iHmQxWbNsaY7tdr2rCtLJ-U5X56fqOYVv-KJpdxqoRy-m4Abv-y8ZEt_KJGHm-gWp5vCOFMRvuLqXuQmE-mNLDteRXZoeboZP2KbNnZwfeXHX0/s320/P3270263.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5188102661176838674" border="0" /></a><span style="color: rgb(51, 102, 255);font-family:trebuchet ms;" ><span style="color: rgb(255, 204, 0);"><span style="color: rgb(51, 102, 255);">One thing about my graduate studies has been how sensitive it's made me about issues of discrimination. I didn't really know what being looked funny on the grounds of anything looked like. I know what "white privilege" was like from my days back home; I've never felt linguistic discrimination because of my English; and even my nationality has never been an issue. However, I've learned first-hand what being discriminated against by virtue of disability (the one form of discrimination that really seems to be color-blind) looks like, on a small scale. Let me repeat that: On a small scale. But, yes, I've had the funny looks when I stand on a dance floor and I have folks looking at me like, "what are you doing here?" or telling me, "You shouldn't be here" or "This isn't safe for you" (These are actual quotes I've heard, plus the patronizing tone that I can't replicate on a blog). I've seen how some people seem to feel mad that they have to move to the end of the bus or some even refuse to move because they're too comfortable in the front seats. I've even felt embarrassed that it takes me so long to get in or out of a car (even if none of my friends have implied anything) and I'm still really self-conscious about wearing shorts (I wear a sleeve under my brace partly to protect the scar from the sun, partly not to show it).<br /><br />But, funny as it may, I've seen how some people can't really look past my crutches and all they see is those two aluminum pieces and the large brace around my leg. It's funny how some people think they can't be with me because I can't really walk that well for the time being. They can't seem to go beyond that. It's as if everything else were Photoshop blurred from their brain and their foci were those things. It makes me wonder how many of them can't look past a wheelchair or a missing limb. It makes me wonder how many times I may have done exactly the same and how many people I missed a chance to meet or know because of this.<br /><br />Right now, more than wonder, it does make me pity them, those few and far between who think I'm out of place at a bar or a dance floor. Maybe they're the ones out of place in this world. After all, as Everlast once said, "God forbid you ever have to walk one mile in their shoes, cuz then you really might know what it's like to sing the blues."<br /><br />But, again, let me be honest: That's a minority. My true friends don't care about that. To them, I'm still their friend and I'm not any worse because of this. And that definitely offsets any weird looks I get on occasion.<br /><br /></span></span></span><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: rgb(51, 102, 255);font-family:trebuchet ms;" ><span style="color: rgb(255, 204, 0);">The Road Ahead...<br /><br /></span></span><div style="text-align: left;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjccZc3OfM5V3AU8Twh2FTKZ-J31eRVlQwFjVO3B38ZIrGsFAU5oj-XiJc1VGAwjP4DHREUoo6XseXyJ-7NMBG6dWG_pW2OQE1wMHbocO6KXcATfMPMExrRcBXnH66UfXnGTzjwGtX3On0/s1600-h/P4040015.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjccZc3OfM5V3AU8Twh2FTKZ-J31eRVlQwFjVO3B38ZIrGsFAU5oj-XiJc1VGAwjP4DHREUoo6XseXyJ-7NMBG6dWG_pW2OQE1wMHbocO6KXcATfMPMExrRcBXnH66UfXnGTzjwGtX3On0/s320/P4040015.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5188103520170297922" border="0" /></a><span style="color: rgb(51, 102, 255);font-family:trebuchet ms;" ><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);">I've still got a stretch to go on the road to full recovery. I've started therapy (after three long months of having a stiff right leg) and I'm walking... not in a figurative sense. I AM walking. That actually reminds me of the only other time I've cried during this journey. I remember it well, it was the last Thursday in March, after I came back from the hospital and my monthly check-up. I entered my classroom and actually attempted to put weight on my leg and walk. One step, then another, then one more... as I kept walking to my desk, I couldn't help repeating, "I can't believe I'm walking, I can't believe I'm walking!" and all of a sudden, I was crying, as Sting would say, "I'm so happy that I can't stop crying, I'm so happy I'm laughing through my tears." I was able to walk again, and let me tell you, it was one of the most delightful feelings I've experienced in a long time!<br /><br />As I was saying, I'll be in therapy for at least two months, if not three. But, I'm optimistic that I'll be fine at the end of this. In fact, I really like Raúl A. version 2.5 (I like to think that there's such a thing as Raúl A. version 2.0 - the post-grad school version!). I've lost a few pounds, which I needed to do anyway. I've learned to be more patient about a few things and I've learned not to use anything as an excuse for not doing something else. I've learned to appreciate the things and people I have around me. Oh, and I don't feel any bit bad that this happened to me, nor do I feel that I was star-struck or anything of that kind. It was an accident and it changed my life... for the better!<br /><br />Plus, how many of you can actually say that you're literally an "Iron Man"?<br /><br />I didn't think so!<br /><br /><br />That's it for now. Till my next blog I bid farewell!<br /><br /><br />The Blogger, the Thinker, the Provocateur...<br />Raúl A. (El Patrón)</span><span style="color: rgb(255, 204, 0);"><span style="color: rgb(51, 102, 255);"></span></span></span><br /></div><span style="color: rgb(51, 102, 255);font-family:trebuchet ms;" ><span style="color: rgb(255, 204, 0);"><span style="color: rgb(51, 102, 255);"></span></span></span></div></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /><span style="color: rgb(51, 102, 255);font-family:trebuchet ms;" ><span style="color: rgb(255, 204, 0);"></span></span></div><span style="color: rgb(51, 102, 255);font-family:trebuchet ms;" ></span></div></div></div><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><span style="color: rgb(255, 204, 0);"></span></span></div><span style="color: rgb(0, 204, 204);font-family:trebuchet ms;" ></span></div><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><span style="color: rgb(51, 204, 0);"></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><span style="color: rgb(0, 204, 204);"></span><span style="color: rgb(255, 204, 0);"><span style="color: rgb(255, 102, 0);"></span></span></span><br /></div><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><span style="color: rgb(255, 204, 0);"><span style="color: rgb(255, 102, 0);"></span></span></span></div><br /><br /><br /><br /></div>el patron himself, Dr. Raúl A. Morahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07874252858044754446noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3021884291134853048.post-63894624866261020282007-12-15T18:05:00.002-06:002011-07-19T08:57:26.602-05:00Reading Too Much on the Movies, or Am I Onto Something?<div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: red;"><span style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms';">Jingle Blogs, Jingle Blogs, Blogging All the Way...</span></span></div><span style="color: red;"><span style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms';"><br />
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<div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: red;"><span style="color: #ffcc33;"><span style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms';">Greetings to all my fellow bloggers and dearest friends around the world. In the words of LL Cool J, "Don't call it a comeback!" The blog was just taking a quick break, but I'm back and fully loaded!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms';">First things first, some acknowledgments: As always, props to the other members to the awesomest broomball team EVER, The Famous St. Funs. I can't wait to play intramural again! I'm so pumped! Finally, to all my students this semester, thanks for making a difference yet again.<br />
</span></span></span><span style="color: red;"><span style="color: #ffcc33;"><span style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms';"> And now, yes you know it! It's time for...<br />
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<span style="color: red;"><span style="color: #ffcc33;"><span style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms';"><span style="color: #993300;">The Gratuitous Twin Nieces Update (Because those are my favorite "snowflakes"):<br />
Ok, so they will turn 17 months old next week. They're now almost fully mobile (as in walking!) and still very vivacious. And, get this, they already recognize me IN PICTURES. My mom said she took one picture where I look really nice (by golly, I had no idea there was such a thing as a pic in which I look good... I still think that's an urban legend or my mom's trying to cheer me up some!) and they really know I am their uncle! I'm so looking forward to my summer trip just to see them!<br />
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<span style="color: #ffcc33;">Ok. Now it's time for tonight's blog...<br />
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<div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms';">Reading the movies: Is there a hidden message somewhere to which we should pay attention?</span></div><span style="color: red;"><span style="color: #ffcc33;"><span style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms';"><span style="color: #993300;"><span style="color: #ffcc33;"><span style="color: #009900;"> <br />
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<div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: red;"><span style="color: #ffcc33;"><span style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms';"><span style="color: #993300;"><span style="color: #ffcc33;"><span style="color: #009900;">Those who know what I do as part of my research (whatever the hell it is that I do) know that I have an interest in media literacy, television/movies, and popular culture. What that means is that while I can still enjoy the movies, I sometimes tend to overanalyze them, not in a Roger Ebert kind of way, but I still do. I went to watch "I am Legend," the latest Will Smith vehicle. Without killing the plot too much, it is about a man who ends up all by himself in New York, after almost everybody got wiped out by some crazy virus. I am not going to discuss the cinematic values of the production or acting (after all, I am not into Cinema Studies). In media literacy, one is more interested in the messages hidden behind the messages, the social constructions being laid out in the media, and what that particular movie, TV show, or song is saying about the world at large.<br />
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So, since I decided to give my brain the afternoon off (that means: Not think about my dissertation), a thought came to me this morning after my shower and while I tried to take a nap (you would be surprised what ideas I come up with when I shave!): What are these movies trying to tell us? This very quick-and-dirty analysis will contrast two genres of movies: Sci-fi and the Zombie/End of the World genres:<br />
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If you look at some movies from the Science Fiction genre (e.g. Independence Day, Armageddon, Deep Impact, The Core, Alien, Predator, etc.), there is an underlying thread that can be recognized by reading between the lines: There is a threat to humanity, whether foreign/alien (other civilizations, asteroids, comets, etc.) or domestic (earth itself) and humanity needs to pool either all their technological resources together (Armageddon, The Core) or get the best out of human ingenuity (Alien, Predator) to vanquish it. Enemies become friends (Independence Day), Weapons of Mass Destruction become Weapons of Mass "Salvation" (Armageddon, Deep Impact, The Core), and ultimately the best of the human race seems to be highlighted, our core values surface in the face of extreme adversity. In addition, the "threat," when in the form of</span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="color: red;"><span style="color: #ffcc33;"><span style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms';"><span style="color: #993300;"><span style="color: #ffcc33;"><span style="color: #009900;"> alien races or species, is always portrayed as superior to us, both technologically and physically. Think of the "Predator" character: It is physically imposing, a freak of nature if you will. It is the same as the Alien from the namesake franchise. And yet, we seem to find a way to best them with our (to them) archaic technology and underdeveloped skills. Finally, the aftermath seems to be positive: Earth finds a way to recover a better balance, things look positive after things are done. </span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
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However, take a look at how we are portrayed in the Zombie/End of the World genre (e.g. I am Legend, Dawn of the Dead, Land of the Dead, 28 Days Later, Resident Evil, etc.): We are portrayed first as a scientific community that seems to defy the rules of ethics and wants to play God for its sake. What happens is what Sting in "If I Ever Lose My Faith In You" can best describe, "Never saw no miracle of science/That didn't go from a blessing to a curse." Oh yes, all these movies somehow imply either that something in science either created a virus (Resident Evil, I Am Legend) or that something happened that made a common cold go haywire (28 Days Later, Dawn Of The Dead). Then, there is the portrayal of the survivors. Unlike the survivors in the Sci-fi genre, here they seem to be first devoid of most resources, especially technological. Second, they seem to be completely outsmarted and outnumbered by what is described as an "inferior" version of themselves (unlike our enemies in Sci-fi as I pointed above). Somehow, somewhere, the zombies always seem to get the best of them, there is no apparent way to defeat them, let alone save them. Furthermore, the depiction of earth is actually scary. The planet is shown as completely devastated (Resident Evil: Extinction, 28 Weeks Later) and people are forced to move to small enclaves to survive (Land of the Dead, I Am Legend, 28 Days Later), without an apparent way to restore order out of the existing chaos.<br />
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Now, I am not implying that most directors have actually thought about this, with the exception, of course, of the master of the Zombie genre himself, George A. Romero (just watch the original "Night of the Living Dead," "Dawn of the Dead," and his most recent "Land of the Dead" and the social commentary is pretty evident). But, as I said earlier, this is what us media literacy folks do: Unearth messages where they seemingly are not. A very simple message that comes from cross-checking the genres is: We can defeat pretty much anyone, anytime, anything, anywhere... except ourselves. These movies remind us that, in addition to our endless capacity for creation, we also share the same hunger for destruction. One thing that the zombie genre hardly ever asks (with the exception of I Am Legend and the Resident Evil franchise) is, "How did we get here?" I think as a society, it might be worth thinking about it. After all, there is such a thing as biochemical warfare and folks are getting affected by it. How long might it be until those things come knocking on our door.<br />
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Another reading about these movies has to do with what we do and who we are. As "Shaun Of The Dead" so poignantly reminds us in the early sequences, sometimes we seem to act as "zombies" already, moving on to life aimlessly. If I were to come up with an umbrella lesson from this cross-examination, it would be this: There is so much about us that we still need to tap into and we are sometimes wasting it. Is it not time to stop going through the motions and reclaiming our humanity? And, finally, as someone used to say, if we are not part of the solution, we are part of the problem. The larger question is, how are we going to use those resources that, in our imaginations, we use to defeat those imaginaries that put us against the rope to help those who are already facing adversity?<br />
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Those are larger questions, whose answers I am still figuring out. After all, there is more to my Ph.D. than writing a dissertation.<br />
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Thanks for letting me share, and until the next blog,<br />
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The Blogger, the thinker, the provocateur...<br />
Raúl A. (El Patron)<br />
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<span style="color: red;"><span style="color: #ffcc33;"><span style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms';"><span style="color: #993300;"><span style="color: #ffcc33;"></span></span></span></span></span></div></div><span style="color: red;"><span style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms';"></span></span></div>el patron himself, Dr. Raúl A. Morahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07874252858044754446noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3021884291134853048.post-49426652322983934262007-10-17T14:17:00.000-05:002007-10-17T14:48:28.618-05:00<h1 style="font-family: trebuchet ms;"><u>Q&A with Raúl A. Mora, aka <b>El Patrón</b></u></h1><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">Greetings fellow bloggers around the world. I included an earlier version of this note on Facebook. This is a longer version, just for you to learn more about me...</span><br /><br /><i style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">Where are you from?</i><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;"> </span><br /><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">COLOMBIA, with an O, not a U!</span><br /><br /><i style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">Where in Colombia?</i><br /><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;"> MEDELLIN - That's center, about an 8-hour drive from Bogota.</span><br /><br /><i style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">Do you drink coffee?</i><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;"> </span><br /><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">Not much until I came here. Yet, I know how to make A CUP of coffee. My dad taught me not to rely on coffee makers.<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Can you cook Colombian food?<br /><span style="font-style: italic;"><span style="font-style: italic;"><span style="font-style: italic;"></span></span></span></span>Does "arroz con huevo count?" Just kidding! I know a few recipes here and there.<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Do you miss any Colombian food?<br /></span>Well, not a lot of it. I do miss lentils (though my mom always cooks that for me when I go home) and fruit stands all over the city. Fruit in the US is too expensive (and too tiny) for my taste!<br /><br /></span><i style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">Do you dance salsa?</i><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;"> </span><br /><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">Invite me to Soma or Ko Fusion and see for yourself ;o)</span><br /><br /><i style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">Do you play soccer?</i><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;"> </span><br /><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">Before I even answer that question, please see my soccer-related Facebook group...</span><br /><br /><i style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">My bad, do you play FUTBOL?</i><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;"> </span><br /><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">I play goalie.</span><br /><br /><i style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">How long have you been here?</i><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;"> </span><br /><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">5 years and counting.</span><br /><br /><i style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">Are you an exchange student?</i><br /><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;"> Under my visa status, technically yes. But I'm a doctoral student.</span><br /><br /><i style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">Doctoral student in Engineering, like all the other Colombians?</i><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;"> </span><br /><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">No. I'm the "token Humanities doc student" of the bunch, the Colombian Tajel if you will. I'm doing my Ph.D. in Education.</span><br /><br /><i style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">So you wanna be a teacher?</i><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;"> </span><br /><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">No, I want to PREPARE teachers. I taught for almost 10 years in Colombia.</span><br /><br /><i style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">What did you teach?</i><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;"> </span><br /><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">English.<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Really? What grades?<br /></span>I taught from 5th to 11th grade at high schools in the city; I also taught English to children and adults, and I was an adjunct instructor at a local college.<span style="font-style: italic;"><br /></span></span><br /><i style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">Why do they call you EL PATRON?</i><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;"> </span><br /><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">It's a very long story that has been running for over 10 years. That deserves a full blog of its own :o).<br /><br /></span><i style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">What's up with the A. after Raúl?</i><br /><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">I'm named after my father, who happens to be Raúl Mora. My mom chose the middle name (Alberto). For professional purposes, in 2003 I made it emphatic that all papers where I appear as co-author should include my middle initial, A. When I write solo, I use the full middle name, though. I also identify myself as "Raúl A. Mora" when I meet someone in the academic circles.</span><br /><br /><i style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">Does your name have an accent?</i><br /><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">Yes, in the U, so it's spelled Raúl. That actually affects the pronunciation, so it's not "Rawl" but "Ra-ool". However, I don't make that big of a fuss if you forget to add it. You do get kudos, though, if you accentuate the U. My advisor and some of my professors do. And most people say "Ra-ool" too :)</span><br /><br /><i style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">Why did you come to U of I?</i><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;"> </span><br /><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">It's a great school in education, and no I don't miss the mountains that much. However, I really hate the weather changes... my allergies act up like crazy in Illinois!</span><br /><br /><i style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">But do you miss your family?</i><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;"> </span><br /><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">Of course I do! It is hard not to be there to see my nieces grow up (I talked about that in a blog a while ago), and I know my parents and especially my sister miss me a lot (it is hard to talk to her sometimes, she ends up crying after we talk...). We communicate often, though, so that makes things more bearable for all of us.<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Have you ever been married?</span><br />No. No wives, no children (the other Mora Velez has taken care of the children quota!!!!)<br /></span><br /><i style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">How many girlfriends have you had?</i><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;"> </span><br /><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">4 on the record (5 off the record... long story), but only the last 3 really matter. </span><br /><br /><i style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">Do you still talk to them?</i><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;"> </span><br /><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">Occasionally, but overall, we're in good terms.<br /><br /></span><i style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">What's Broomball?</i><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;"> </span><br /><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">Check the link to Wikipedia in my previous notes. Just to give you a quick-and-dirty: It is NOT hockey, but you play on ice and without skates. It is like playing field hockey on ice, if you will.</span><br /><br /><i style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">Are you really 33 years old? You don't look that old!</i><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;"> </span><br /><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">Yes, I am, and no, I don't!</span><br /><br /><i style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">So do you speak Colombian?</i><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;"> </span><br /><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">No, I actually speak native Spanish, perfect English, quasi-fluent French, and broken Portuguese (but working on it!)</span><br /><br /><i style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">What's your favorite drink?</i><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;"> </span><br /><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">Good beer, Veraison wine, Tequila Sunrise with (you guessed it) Patron Silver, or a good martini.</span><br /><br /><i style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">What should anyone who just met you avoid doing?</i><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;"> </span><br /><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">First, don't ask me a "cocaine" question right after meeting me. I don't mind talking about hard topics, but asking me if I can score you some coke (no, I can't) or if you can buy it on any street corner (no, you can't either) just proves that you're very impolite, overly ignorant, and awfully stupid. Second, don't ever smack me in the head!</span>el patron himself, Dr. Raúl A. Morahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07874252858044754446noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3021884291134853048.post-72712782608693474122007-09-15T16:34:00.001-05:002011-07-19T08:59:14.621-05:00My Blog 2.0: Blogs up till now in 2007<span style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms';">As promised, here's the second batch of blogs I've moved. From now on, there'll be original postings.<br />
<br />
Till next blog,<br />
<br />
Raul A. (El Patron)<br />
<br />
</span> <br />
<div style="-moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 50%; background-repeat: repeat repeat;">August 20, 2007</span></span></span></div><div style="-moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><br />
</div><div style="-moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><a href="" name="subjcns!6C5B1234E40A3C9D!308"></a> <a href="http://elpatron1974.spaces.live.com/blog/cns%216C5B1234E40A3C9D%21308.entry"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 50%; background-repeat: repeat repeat;">So you're planning to study in the US? Here are some tips!</span></span></span></a></div><div style="-moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><br />
</div><div style="-moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 50%; background-repeat: repeat repeat;">Greetings fellow readers and fans in the blogosphere. For the last three years, I've worked every end of the summer with the International Student and Scholar Services (ISSS) at the ever-glorious University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign (hail to the orange, hail to the blue!!!!). In that time, I've met students from all over the world, while learning about visas, paperwork, etc. Although I could probably parlay this experience into an alternate career in overseas counseling, I love teacher education too much to do so. However, some of what I've learned may be beneficial to others. </span></span></span> </div><div style="-moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><br />
</div><div style="-moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 50%; background-repeat: repeat repeat;">So, without further ado, here's some of what I've learned:</span></span></span></div><div style="-moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><br />
</div><div style="-moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 50%; background-repeat: repeat repeat;">1. Your documents:</span></span></span></div><div dir="ltr" id="entrycns!6C5B1234E40A3C9D!308"><div dir="ltr" id="msgcns!6C5B1234E40A3C9D!308"><ul><li><div align="left" style="-moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 50%; background-repeat: repeat repeat;">The entry Visa (the document on your passport) is overrated, so don't obsess so much about it. That's only useful to enter the US. Once you've crossed immigration, other documents kick in. One that's really important once you're in the US is your I-94 - you know, that little piece of paper that they give you while on the airplane that you're trying to fill out in the middle of that turbulence of while watching the awful in-flight movie. Losing that one will screw you up royally, so don't lose track of it. I've seen all the hassles new students have when they lose it. One suggestion is to staple it right next to your entry visa on your passport.</span></span></span></div></li>
<li><div align="left" style="-moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 50%; background-repeat: repeat repeat;">When you're at the port of entry, take some time to look carefully at what the immigration officer writes on your I-94. I know it's hard when you're in the middle of the fracas, but those two seconds may come in handy. Make sure those scribblings on your I-94 match what's on your visa and that they don't forget to write anything. Take a few seconds to read it before you leave and if necessary, ask the officer to make all corrections on the spot. That might save you an unnecessary trip to a nearby international airport.</span></span></span></div></li>
<li><div align="left" style="-moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 50%; background-repeat: repeat repeat;">If you're single, choosing an F-1 or J-1 visa may not make that much of a difference. If you're married, applying for an F-1 or J-1 visa may make A WHOLE WORLD of difference, not for you, but for YOUR SPOUSE. I can't say much right now, but if you're married, you may want to look into that before applying for school. Your spouse might thank you later.</span></span></span></div></li>
<li><div align="left" style="-moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 50%; background-repeat: repeat repeat;">More on the visa type: Think carefully about your needs and future travel plans before applying for an F or J visa. There are some benefits to having either, as well as disadvantages. If possible, check with an overseas studies advisor or consult the international student office at the university you're applying for about what the best one for you would be. </span></span></span> </div></li>
<li><div align="left" style="-moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%; margin-bottom: 0.2in;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 50%; background-repeat: repeat repeat;">If you're planning to be in the US for more than six months, do consider taking up a driver's license from the state you'll be residing in. Yes, some states will allow you to drive with your own, but sometimes that won't be accepted as a valid form of ID. Plus, you don't want to drink and carry your passport... bad idea! What if you can't drive? Well, most states also have a State ID card that resembles a driver's license. It's not that expensive to get, you can use even at airports if you're flying within the continental US and again, if you lose that one, it's only 5-10 dollars to get a duplicate. Getting a new passport, visa and I-94? A little more than that</span></span></span></div></li>
</ul><div align="left" style="-moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%; margin-bottom: 0.2in;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 50%; background-repeat: repeat repeat;">2. Learning about the environment: </span></span></span> </div><div align="left" style="-moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%; margin-bottom: 0.2in;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 50%; background-repeat: repeat repeat;">Arriving in a new country is always tough. The US has its very own intricacies and many college campuses are ginormous. Some tips to survive these educational juggernauts: </span></span></span> </div><ul><li><div align="left" style="-moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 50%; background-repeat: repeat repeat;">Learn to read maps. US culture is map-oriented (they'll even draw you a map to go to the restroom!), and reading maps is a skill that will serve you well. Get a campus map as soon as you arrive on campus, and make sure to know which way is North (this sounds silly, but going up is not necessarily heading north!). Also, get used to using north, south, east, and west as much as you would use up, down, left, and right. It's not unusual to get directions and folks will tell you, "go north on X street..."</span></span></span></div></li>
<li><div align="left" style="-moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 50%; background-repeat: repeat repeat;">Embrace it: You WILL get lost at some point. Just relax and enjoy getting lost on your campus. That's just as inevitable as getting the Ph.D. bug as a master's student or succumbing to the "freshman 15." That will always makes up for crazy anecdotes when you get back home.</span></span></span></div></li>
<li><div align="left" style="-moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 50%; background-repeat: repeat repeat;">It's not better or worse, just DIFFERENT. As obvious as it may seem, some people can't get detached of everything they had at home and expect to find equivalents in the US. The sooner you rid yourself of such a notion, the easier it'll be to adapt. Meat cuts won't be the same here as in you country, fruits will look and taste different, just deal with it! </span></span></span> </div></li>
<li><div align="left" style="-moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 50%; background-repeat: repeat repeat;">Contact your compatriots. It's not uncommon for large universities to have international student associations. Get in touch with them, and do hang out with them. It's actually (in my not-so-humble-after-all opinion) kind of rude not to try to reach out to them at least a few times while you're in school. You'd rather be with other people, fine! But don't be a stranger. Your compatriots are the first line of defense and many are seasoned residents who can give you some nice tips about surviving. Having said that...</span></span></span></div></li>
<li><div align="left" style="-moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 50%; background-repeat: repeat repeat;">Don't narrow yourself down. US universities, particularly at the graduate level, are oases of cultural diversity. Never in your life will you meet so many people from so many countries, unless you end up in foreign relations or the U.N. So, enjoy it. and don't spend every second of your day with people too similar to you. You'd be suprised how similar we can be across nationality lines. Have a little bit of fun too. Learn to say "hello" in different languages, even if that's all you know about the language. Greet your Muslim friends wih "Asalaam Alaikum" and you'll find out how much you may understand them when they reply "Alaikum Salaam." Don't just say "cheers" when you can toast by saying, "sante," "saude," "slainte," "prost," etc. Kiss your Argentine friends on the cheek and give two kisses to the Spanish, Austrian, or Lebanese girls. As I said, you'll never meet so many people from so many countries in one place. Don't put it to waste. </span></span></span> </div></li>
<li><div align="left" style="-moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%; margin-bottom: 0.2in;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 50%; background-repeat: repeat repeat;">Go to some of the local events near campus. In fact, try not to spend a lot of time on the campus districts! You'd be surprised how different life looks through the lense of the local folks. Go to local festivals or events on the streets in the downtown areas. Enjoy a free concert by a local band and interact with the townies, they're not bad people! </span></span></span> </div></li>
</ul><div align="left" style="-moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%; margin-bottom: 0.2in;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 50%; background-repeat: repeat repeat;">3. Your English: </span></span></span> </div><ul><li><div align="left" style="-moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 50%; background-repeat: repeat repeat;">Try to learn as much as you can before you come here. Don't take for granted that being here alone will improve it. Take courses, read in English, practice, practice, practice before you come here! Although that holds true especially for people in the humanities, folks in engineering can benefit from all the practice.</span></span></span></div></li>
<li><div align="left" style="-moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 50%; background-repeat: repeat repeat;">Learn about events for international students. There are conversation tables and groups sponsored by groups and organizations. That's a way to practice in a more relaxed environment. </span></span></span> </div></li>
<li><div align="left" style="-moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 50%; background-repeat: repeat repeat;">Don't be afraid to speak and use your English. Take risks and talk. Also, don't EVER apologize for your accent or lack of "American" pronunciation. Be proud of your heritage, even when you speak English!</span></span></span></div></li>
<li><div align="left" style="-moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%; margin-bottom: 0.2in;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 50%; background-repeat: repeat repeat;">No matter how good your English is, get ready to learn all over again. Developing an academic register when you speak and write is a whole different animal and it'll take you time to learn it. Ask your adviser and other professors for help (hint: They too HAD TO LEARN to write and speak academically... remember this, NONE OF YOUR PROFESSORS WAS BORN WITH A PHD. THEY ALL HAD TO GO TO GRAD SCHOOL JUST LIKE YOU, so don't hesitate to ask for help. Unless they're certified jerks, they'll help you get better), as well as more advanced graduate students. </span></span></span> </div></li>
</ul><div align="left" style="-moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%; margin-bottom: 0.2in;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 50%; background-repeat: repeat repeat;">4. Brush up on some skills: </span></span></span> </div><ul><li><div align="left" style="-moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 50%; background-repeat: repeat repeat;">Google will be your best buddy ever, so learn to use it effectively. </span></span></span> </div></li>
<li><div align="left" style="-moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 50%; background-repeat: repeat repeat;">Take some time to learn some typing skills. They'll come in handy when you're writing reports.</span></span></span></div></li>
<li><div align="left" style="-moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 50%; background-repeat: repeat repeat;">If you're going to do some social science research, take a listening comprehension course before coming here. Practice transcribing tapes in English. You'll need that skill throughout your degree work.</span></span></span></div></li>
<li><div align="left" style="-moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 50%; background-repeat: repeat repeat;">Learn to read on your computer screen. You might get tired at first, but many professors now give you the readings in .pdf format. Plus, that saves trees :).</span></span></span></div></li>
<li><div align="left" style="-moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%; margin-bottom: 0.2in;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 50%; background-repeat: repeat repeat;">Learn to use Office applications (powerpoint, word, excel). You have no idea how much those skills will come in handy.</span></span></span></div></li>
</ul><div align="left" style="-moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%; margin-bottom: 0.2in;"><span style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 50%; background-repeat: repeat repeat;"> </span> </div><div align="left" style="-moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%; margin-bottom: 0.2in;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 50%; background-repeat: repeat repeat;">That's some of my advice for now. I'll get back to writing more tips as my quest to finish my dissertation continues. </span></span></span> </div><div align="left" style="-moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%; margin-bottom: 0.2in;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 50%; background-repeat: repeat repeat;">Till my next blog, </span></span></span> </div><div align="left" style="-moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%; margin-bottom: 0.2in;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 50%; background-repeat: repeat repeat;">Raul A. (El Patron)</span></span></span></div><div align="left" style="-moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%; margin-bottom: 0.2in;"><br />
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</div><div align="left" style="-moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%; margin-bottom: 0.2in;"><a href="" name="subjcns!6C5B1234E40A3C9D!307"></a> <a href="http://elpatron1974.spaces.live.com/blog/cns%216C5B1234E40A3C9D%21307.entry"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 50%; background-repeat: repeat repeat;">The Return of the Blog... in time for Fall!!!!</span></span></span></a></div></div></div><div dir="ltr" id="entrycns!6C5B1234E40A3C9D!307"><h4 style="-moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-top: 0in;"><br />
</h4><h4 style="-moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-top: 0in;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 50%; background-repeat: repeat repeat;">The Return of the Blog</span></span></span></h4><h4 style="-moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-top: 0in;"><br />
</h4><h4 style="-moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-top: 0in;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 50%; background-repeat: repeat repeat;">Greetings to all my friends and fans on the blogosphere and Facebook. After a long absence from writing, I've decided to reactivate my blog. It's been a while since I've written some lines so I'll indulge for a little bit...</span></span></span></h4><div dir="ltr" id="msgcns!6C5B1234E40A3C9D!307"><div align="left" style="-moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%;"><span style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 50%; background-repeat: repeat repeat;"> </span></div><div align="left" style="-moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 50%; background-repeat: repeat repeat;">But before I go any further... oh yes, you know what's coming, don't you? It's time for an enhanced...</span></span></span></div><div align="left" style="-moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%;"><span style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 50%; background-repeat: repeat repeat;"> </span></div><div align="left" style="-moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 50%; background-repeat: repeat repeat;">Gratuitous Update on Isabella & Manuela (well, because they're Isa and Manu, and you're not!)</span></span></span></div><div align="left" style="-moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%;"><span style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 50%; background-repeat: repeat repeat;"> </span></div><div align="left" style="-moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 50%; background-repeat: repeat repeat;">So my lovely, adorable, and gorgeous nieces turned ONE a month ago (yes, they're 13 months old!) and the family had a nice little shindig for them at my aunt's farm. Pictures galore from the event have flooded my e-mail and I've tried to post them up on Facebook as fast as I can. Progress reports indicate that they're already giving little strides here and there, they can say a few words (notably an obsession with saying hi to everybody they run into!) and they recognize their oddball Tio Raul in pictures. Unfortunately, it seems they have some respiratory problems, and that's freaked me out a little freaked out (God forbid they have their uncle's nose!), so we'll see what happens. </span></span></span> </div><div align="left" style="-moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%;"><span style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 50%; background-repeat: repeat repeat;"> </span></div><div align="left" style="-moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 50%; background-repeat: repeat repeat;">Ok, now that I got that out of my system, on with the blog...</span></span></span></div><div align="left" style="-moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%;"><span style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 50%; background-repeat: repeat repeat;"> </span></div><div align="center" style="-moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 50%; background-repeat: repeat repeat;">Random thoughts before the end of the summer....</span></span></span></div><div align="center" style="-moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%;"><span style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 50%; background-repeat: repeat repeat;"> </span></div><div align="center" style="-moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 50%; background-repeat: repeat repeat;">1. "I'll get by with a little help from my friends." - Joe Cocker</span></span></span></div><div align="center" style="-moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%;"><span style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 50%; background-repeat: repeat repeat;"> </span></div><div align="left" style="-moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 50%; background-repeat: repeat repeat;">Anyone who ever watched "The Wonder Years" probably remembers that song by Joe Cocker. I wanted to start my blog with that line to give a bunch of my close friends a HUGE THANK YOU for your support over the past few months (you know damn well who you are!). I've finally gotten over a huge funk that went on and off all of last year. I won't discuss the causes, but its aftermath has included some time off from the dating game to collect my thoughts together and get all of my life back on track. I got two years left to graduate, so the stakes are increasingly higher. But, make no mistake, if it hadn't been for that "little help from my friends," in the form of friendly advice (Sandra), listening to my rants on facebook and AIM (An, Scott, Aubrey, Yupin), or simply just being there (Aragon, Yovani, Ricardo). it's very unlikely I'd have reached the peace of mind I seem to have found as of late. To all of them, you know damn well that EL PATRON may be down, but never out., and rest assured that when you need me, ANYTIME, ANYWHERE, I'll answer the call when you need me!</span></span></span></div><div align="left" style="-moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%;"><span style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 50%; background-repeat: repeat repeat;"> </span></div><div align="center" style="-moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 50%; background-repeat: repeat repeat;">2. My thoughts for Peru</span></span></span></div><div align="center" style="-moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%;"><span style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 50%; background-repeat: repeat repeat;"> </span></div><div align="left" style="-moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 50%; background-repeat: repeat repeat;">A few days ago, a devastating earthquake destroyed parts of Peru to points that seem to be mind-blowing. I was told that one of my cousins' husband is covering the news from Lima and that the scene brings you to tears. My condolences and prayers to any and all Peruvians around the world. I have seen first-hand what the wrath of nature can do to a city/country, and I know how much you must be suffering. From this blog, all I can do is offer my unwavering support and any possible help.</span></span></span></div><div align="left" style="-moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%;"><span style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 50%; background-repeat: repeat repeat;"> </span></div><div align="center" style="-moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 50%; background-repeat: repeat repeat;">3. Damn, it's Fall already!</span></span></span></div><div align="center" style="-moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%;"><span style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 50%; background-repeat: repeat repeat;"> </span></div><div align="left" style="-moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 50%; background-repeat: repeat repeat;">I can't believe it's almost the end of the summer. This one went by so fast, and I really didn't have much of a break, with the exception of a weekend trip to Springfield, IL. But, at least I had enough money to eat decently and go out on occasion, and the rent was paid on time. Now, fall's here. What's in store for me: Well, preparing everything for my dissertation proposal defense in December, teaching 2 courses, and of course playing one more season with the best broomball team on earth, THE FAMOUS ST. FUNS (you know, B-Hernz, Da Schaf, Homie, Wags, and Harold the pope... King Doug, we'll miss you!!!! Oh, and check out our St. Funs broomball videos on youtube!) That should keep me entertained. But, I'm really looking forward to this fall... at least it had a much better kickoff than last year's!!!!! Also, old friends are back and new friends were met, so that's always good. To my old friends back in town (Igor, Rebecca, Maryline, etc), welcome back home. It's good to have you around. To my new friends (Carlo, Xioda, Mirona, etc...) welcome to Chambana... a place you may too call home soon enough. </span></span></span> </div><div align="left" style="-moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%;"><span style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 50%; background-repeat: repeat repeat;"> </span></div><div align="center" style="-moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 50%; background-repeat: repeat repeat;">4. The countdown to 2009 begins</span></span></span></div><div align="center" style="-moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%;"><span style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 50%; background-repeat: repeat repeat;"> </span></div><div align="left" style="-moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 50%; background-repeat: repeat repeat;">I have two years left in Chambana, so let's start the countdown to 2009. I promised a few friends (Bongani, Issam, etc.) that I'm going to get this done no matter what. I came here on a mission, and yes I've met wonderful people along the way. I'm really excited about this and I can't wait to take on the challenges for the next two years. Just tag along for the ride. It'll be pretty awesome!!!!!!</span></span></span></div><div align="left" style="-moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%;"><span style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 50%; background-repeat: repeat repeat;"> </span></div><div align="left" style="-moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%;"><span style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 50%; background-repeat: repeat repeat;"> </span></div><div align="left" style="-moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 50%; background-repeat: repeat repeat;">Till my next blog...</span></span></span></div><div align="left" style="-moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%;"><span style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 50%; background-repeat: repeat repeat;"> </span></div><div align="left" style="-moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 50%; background-repeat: repeat repeat;">Raul A. (El Patron)</span></span></span></div><div align="left" style="-moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%;"><br />
</div><div align="left" style="-moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%;"><span style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 50%; background-repeat: repeat repeat;"> <span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 100%;">April 18, 2007</span></span></span></div><div align="left" style="-moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%;"><br />
</div><div align="left" style="-moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%;"><a href="" name="subjcns!6C5B1234E40A3C9D!280"></a> <a href="http://elpatron1974.spaces.live.com/blog/cns%216C5B1234E40A3C9D%21280.entry"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 50%; background-repeat: repeat repeat;">Thoughts After the Virginia Tech Tragedy</span></span></span></a></div><div align="left" style="-moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%;"><br />
</div><div align="left" style="-moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;"><a href="http://elpatron1974.spaces.live.com/blog/cns%216C5B1234E40A3C9D%21280.entry"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 50%; background-repeat: repeat repeat;">G</span></span></span></span></span></a><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 50%; background-repeat: repeat repeat;">reetings to all my fellow bloggers and friends around the world. As you can tell, I've chosen Maroon and Orange for this blog. This entire blog is dedicated to the 32 victims of the Virginia Tech shootings this past Monday. However, a special dedication to the memories of two of the victims: Professor Liviu Librescu, who showed us the ultimate sacrifice a teacher can (and when need may be, must) make, and Professor James Bishop, a "brother" of mine, if you will, since he (just as I am now) was a Fulbright Alum in Germany. Peace to all of them in their resting places and my prayers to all of them, friends, and families.</span></span></span></span></div></div></div><div dir="ltr" id="entrycns!6C5B1234E40A3C9D!280"><div dir="ltr" id="msgcns!6C5B1234E40A3C9D!280"><div style="-moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%;"><span style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 50%; background-repeat: repeat repeat;"> </span></div><div style="-moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 50%; background-repeat: repeat repeat;">On my with blog:</span></span></span></div><div style="-moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%;"><span style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 50%; background-repeat: repeat repeat;"> </span></div><div align="center" style="-moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 50%; background-repeat: repeat repeat;">Thoughts in the aftermath of the Virginia Tech Tragedy: Some of my reflections and cathartic thoughts</span></span></span></div><div align="center" style="-moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%;"><span style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 50%; background-repeat: repeat repeat;"> </span></div><div align="left" style="-moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 50%; background-repeat: repeat repeat;">Before I start, a caveat: I assume sole responsibility of these thoughts. They are my catharsis. I've been choking tears for the last three days and I need this to clear my mind. They represent my uncertainty, my sadness, and even my anger. However, I'm trying to be fair and honest. </span></span></span> </div><div align="center" style="-moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%;"><span style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 50%; background-repeat: repeat repeat;"> </span></div><div align="center" style="-moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%;"><span style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 50%; background-repeat: repeat repeat;"> </span></div><div align="center" style="-moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 50%; background-repeat: repeat repeat;">We're all Hokies... because we all could've been Illini.</span></span></span></div><div align="center" style="-moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%;"><span style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 50%; background-repeat: repeat repeat;"> </span></div><div align="left" style="-moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 50%; background-repeat: repeat repeat;">It has been a sad week for anyone who attends a university anywhere in the world. In the morning of April 16, 2007, 32 students and faculty died in the hands of another student, who was disenchanted with life and decided to make them (and us at large) the recipients of his unjustified nemesis (more on that later). It is an unfortunate day because this could really have happened anywhere else. For all we know, it could've been in Champaign, Illinois, and now I'd have to be calling everybody else to tell them I am alive and safe. I prayed to God on Tuesday morning when all I had to talk to my mom was about my sister's broken ankle. When that's the topic of conversation compared to what could've been about, as Friar Lawrence would say, "Therefore thou art happy."</span></span></span></div><div align="left" style="-moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%;"><span style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 50%; background-repeat: repeat repeat;"> </span></div><div align="left" style="-moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 50%; background-repeat: repeat repeat;">Why did this happen, we all wonder? Part of it is the very nature of these universities. In terms of safety, these are monolithic constructions in the middle of small towns. I mean, how would you feel if someone tried to place the Eiffel Tower in your backyard? Overwhelmed? Mad as hell? Some folks here might if you think about the social imbalances on both sides of the invisible fence that college campuses have created. True, this time it was a student himself who perpetrated such atrocities, but what might preclude someone unaffiliated with the university to try to teach us a lesson in inequality and injustice? Then, there's the very nature of the academic life at these universities. Virginia Tech, just as Illinois, is a Research University. The demands are high and the pressure sometimes even higher. It is not hard to crack under pressure, believe me. We all feel the weight under our shoulders, and anyone who says otherwise is full of it, I promise. The thing is, some of us have other outlets to relieve the pressure, some of us have close and good friends who rescue us day in and day out. That Korean kid had none of them. I'm neither defending nor justifying his actions. Let me get this straight: No matter how much pressure you live under, there's no excuse to punish others for it, especially if the punishment is death. You can always seek other outlets, seek counseling, talk to someone.</span></span></span></div><div align="left" style="-moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%;"><span style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 50%; background-repeat: repeat repeat;"> </span></div><div align="left" style="-moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 50%; background-repeat: repeat repeat;">However, this is a cautionary tale for all of us. How many people do we know that never talk to anyone? We have seen them at lecture halls, we have seen them at coffee shops, we have seen them at the libraries, yet we hide under the shield of our papers, research, and dissertations to avoid them. We classify them as "weird" or "creepy" when maybe there's someone worth talking to. There are 45,000 students at the U of I. How many loners are there roaming our campus? I think we need to be more careful and try to find ways to help them if we know a case. They might not go ballistic on anyone, but they might hurt themselves. That we cannot allow it either. </span></span></span> </div><div align="left" style="-moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%;"><span style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 50%; background-repeat: repeat repeat;"> </span></div><div align="left" style="-moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 50%; background-repeat: repeat repeat;">I am trying to make sense of these events using the University as a field, devoid of the "It's in the USA" discussion. Contextualizing this in the "those gringos brought it to themselves" cloud is not my point (and I know for a fact that some folks around the world - as I noticed in a forum I read in a Colombian newspaper - are actually celebrating this... probably not in South Korea, though). I still think something like this, or along these lines, could happen elsewhere. We have universities all over the world, and they are a microcosm of our societies. Am I advocating for lessening the demands so that our students don't go bananas someday? No. It's not my style to call for mediocrity. I wasn't raised to be mediocre, and I thank my parents for that. I am advocating for present and future faculty to be less of a Professor and more of a Teacher. I mentioned in a past blog how I saw myself as a teacher. That's what we need: More professors and teaching assistants who care more for their students or at least as much as they do for their research. We need faculty who can give students what Wikipedia will never be able to: a comforting hand in the times of need, a voice of support when we're down, to show that we care for the scholars they can be but even more so for the person they are. And for that, we don't need a goddamn Ph.D. We just need a heart.</span></span></span></div><div align="left" style="-moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%;"><span style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 50%; background-repeat: repeat repeat;"> </span></div><div align="center" style="-moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 50%; background-repeat: repeat repeat;">The Ultimate Sacrifice</span></span></span></div><div align="center" style="-moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%;"><span style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 50%; background-repeat: repeat repeat;"> </span></div><div align="left" style="-moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 50%; background-repeat: repeat repeat;">Here I want to stop and pay tribute to Professor Liviu Librescu, one of the true HEROES of A-16. For those who haven't heard yet. Prof. Librescu, a former Holocaust survivor, gave his life away to save his students. He blocked his classroom door with HIS OWN BODY to allow his students to escape. In the process, the bullets hit him and his life was over. Sometimes people question teachers too lightly and claim they're not doing their job right. I get teary-eyed when I think of this. The reason: I know I would've done EXACTLY THE SAME under those circumstances. NO BULLSHIT THERE. It is not our job to put our lives in the line of fire, as police or firefighters do every day, but we know there are risks. Sometimes I think about that scene and what if I had been there. I teach a class, and I care for my students' safety. So, to those of you who dare criticize teachers, let me look at you straight in the eye, and let me ask you: Would you be willing to care for and protect a group of kids to the point of giving your life to save theirs? Ok... so pretty please, with sugar on top, GET OFF MY TEACHERS' BACKS!!!!! Thank you.</span></span></span></div><div align="left" style="-moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%;"><span style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 50%; background-repeat: repeat repeat;"> </span></div><div align="left" style="-moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 50%; background-repeat: repeat repeat;">Here I'd also take a moment to thank a teacher who showed me 18 years ago what teaching is about. The year: 1989. The place: My high school, French class. The scenario: A group of thieves broke into our campus to avoid the police. The police entered the campus in pursuit of the criminals. Gunshots galore followed. It was about 11 am. Our French teacher, after hearing the gunfire, yelled at us all, "everybody down, hide under the seats!" and immediately asked us to barricade the door with desks. True, he was a little agitated at the time and we all took it as a joke of an overreacting teacher back them. But, in hindsight, it was the right thing to do: Make sure the thieves wouldn't have a chance to enter the room. After reading what some students at VT did to prevent the killer to break into their rooms, throw desks against the door, I cannot help but say: THANKS, LEON, wherever you are. Be as it may, you cared so much for our lives and you weren't overreacting after all. You were just being a concerned teacher.</span></span></span></div><div align="left" style="-moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%;"><span style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 50%; background-repeat: repeat repeat;"> </span></div><div align="center" style="-moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 50%; background-repeat: repeat repeat;">I'm not playing the blame game</span></span></span></div><div align="center" style="-moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%;"><span style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 50%; background-repeat: repeat repeat;"> </span></div><div align="left" style="-moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 50%; background-repeat: repeat repeat;">Right now, it's very easy to start blaming everybody for what happened at Blacksburg. Some will go on and blame video games. Others will blame hip-hop or rap or heavy metal, etc. For all we know, someone will blame Barack Obama and others will blame Hillary Rodham Clinton. And many will blame Hollywood. Finally, some will just blame the United States at large. I'm still trying to make sense of this tragedy; as I said, it could've been Champaign-Urbana just the same. Blaming video games is pointless. True, some of them depict violence, but for all I know a U of Illinois alumnus created Mortal Kombat and you don't see people here trying to rip each other's hearts off in the Quad. Blame it on TV? Too easy. Blame it on the permissive gun culture in the U.S.? It's plausible but others are debating now as we speak. True, getting access to guns here is easier than it is in Colombia for instance (9mm pistols, for example, are restricted by law for exclusive use by members of the armed forces) but instances of violence can outburst anywhere. And, unfortunately, where there is an evil will there is an evil way. Whose fault is it then? Everybody's and nobody's. It's nobody's fault because sometimes we cannot control what goes on in other people's minds. But it's out fault because sometimes we ourselves, as I mentioned above, are fostering the existence of social outcasts due to the very circles we create. </span></span></span> </div><div align="left" style="-moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%;"><span style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 50%; background-repeat: repeat repeat;"> </span></div><div align="left" style="-moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 50%; background-repeat: repeat repeat;">I also said that I wasn't going to go down the easy road and blame tne U. S. of A. for all of this. That's too simplistic and misses the point. True, there are some things that the government has done which have begotten more violence elsewhere. That's just one side of this country, which a lot of folks here don't agree with either and are just as disgusted by. I have lived and felt another side of this society. That of people who are willing to lend you a hand when nobody else would. I've had people offer me help, emotional, economic, and otherwise, in times of need. I have people here offer me their undivided friendship and care. I have cared for and loved people in this country, so I can't just go and say, "They deserve it". Trust me:</span></span></span></div><div align="left" style="-moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%;"><span style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 50%; background-repeat: repeat repeat;"> </span></div><div align="left" style="-moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 50%; background-repeat: repeat repeat;">Nobody deserves to see their friends or compatriots die, NOBODY!!!!</span></span></span></div><div align="left" style="-moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%;"><span style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 50%; background-repeat: repeat repeat;"> </span></div><div align="left" style="-moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 50%; background-repeat: repeat repeat;">I've seen people from all over the country show their support for those who died on Monday, and I can assure you that if some of these people weren't blindfolded by their own goverment as many are would care for other people's deaths also. Saying that everybody in the U.S. are inconsiderate and don't care about the world is as pointless as now thinking that all Koreans are one massacre waiting to happen (Which is utterly false. I have GREAT, AMAZING friends from Korea, and I can assure you they're terrified by all this) or calling us all Colombians Mules or Cokeheads just because you think we are all ready to pull a "Maria Full of Grace" at the next U.S. Airport. Just as I don't think all Arabs are walking suicide bomb either (I cried for my Lebanese friends last year when I heard about the bombings in the summer). This is a sad day for all of us. As is every day that soldiers and civilians alike die in Iraq, or as people die in Darfur for ethnic purposes, and I could go on and on. It's a sad day because someone else decided that his life was so worthless that it was worth taking 32 others along with his. That's what makes it sad. It is sad to think that life means so little for others when there are couples out there crying night in and night out trying to bring a life here. It is sad to think that life means so little for someone when there are thousands breathing through machines who would've traded places with that Korean kid and have the new lease on life they don't have right now. </span></span></span> </div><div align="left" style="-moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%;"><span style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 50%; background-repeat: repeat repeat;"> </span></div><div align="center" style="-moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 50%; background-repeat: repeat repeat;">My Tears Tonight, My Challenge Tomorrow...</span></span></span></div><div align="left" style="-moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%;"><span style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 50%; background-repeat: repeat repeat;"> </span></div><div align="left" style="-moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 50%; background-repeat: repeat repeat;">That's why I cry. Because deep inside me, I know although I have made something to make other people's lives worthwhile, I still haven't made enough and need to do more. I cry for those 32, along with all the thousands that died today and no one talked about on Facebook or wrote a tribute to on a blog, because they all missed the chance to make a difference. I cry because there are children who died in Iraq and elsewhere today whom I won't be able to call brothers and sisters when they would've been bestowed the honor to be Fulbright students or come to the University of Illinois. I cry for them because they don't have anymore the chance that I still have: The chance to still make a difference for someone. Why me and not them? I'll leave it up to God himslef to explain that to me one day, not that he needs to justify his choosing me over all of them. It is up to me to honor that decision. And I'll cry for them because I mean it, not to make a spectacle of it all. And I know some of these tears are for my grandmother, whom I kindly ask to take care of those who died at Blacksburg and other parts of the world, as she did for me and my cousins at some point in time. I'm not afraid to admit that I've cried while writing this blog. Because I'm human and I care for other people's suffering, even if I don't know them. It's because I never will that I care and even cry in the end.</span></span></span></div><div align="left" style="-moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%;"><span style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 50%; background-repeat: repeat repeat;"> </span></div><div align="left" style="-moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 50%; background-repeat: repeat repeat;">Tonight, I'll pray for all of them. What will I do tomorrow? Very simple: I'll get up early and go to work. And I'll continue fulfilling the mission that I set for myself when I left home 5 years ago. And I will give my friendship and love to those near me and, if possible, those far away from me. In the end, the best tribute we can pay to those Hokies and others is not just to keep living, but to keep living with intensity. It's about making every day worthwhile. As cliche as it seems, we never know when it'll be the last. And, as my mom always keeps telling my sister and me, "EN VIDA, HERMANO, EN VIDA." That is, while living, my brother, while living. Why wait to tell someone how awesome they are during an eulogy. Tell them in every which way you can. Heck, even Facebook poking may do that! You can read a poke as "here he goes again annoying me" or "damn, someone took two seconds of their busy time to look for me and annoy me with a poke... that's kinda cool!" </span></span></span> </div><div align="left" style="-moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%;"><span style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 50%; background-repeat: repeat repeat;"> </span></div><div align="left" style="-moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 50%; background-repeat: repeat repeat;">In the end, we can't replace anyone who's died, but we may as well try to make up for their absence by giving it all every day of the rest of our lives. That is the challenge for us all. Let's remember them all by living life at its fullest and taking advantage of those little luxuries they no longer have, such as breathing the air and feeling the sun in our heads. It's about giving other people the luxury that Korean kid didn't have: To have someone call him "Friend" or "Brother". We sometimes underestimate the power they have. But what difference can they make in one person's life. They can be the difference between spending $570 on a gun or $570 on a home theater to invite their friends over for movies and popcorn. Ridiculous? Try asking those 32+ 1 who died on Monday.</span></span></span></div><div align="left" style="-moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%;"><span style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 50%; background-repeat: repeat repeat;"> </span></div><div align="left" style="-moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 50%; background-repeat: repeat repeat;">That's it for now. I'll be back soon with, I hope, a more uplifting blog. Take care of yourselves, my friends and brothers/sisters out there. I'd hate to hear I won't be able to know you're alive tomorrow... and by the way, all of you...</span></span></span></div><div align="left" style="-moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%;"><span style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 50%; background-repeat: repeat repeat;"> </span></div><div align="left" style="-moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 50%; background-repeat: repeat repeat;">ARE AWESOME!!!!!!!!!!!!</span></span></span></div><div align="left" style="-moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%;"><span style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 50%; background-repeat: repeat repeat;"> </span></div><div align="left" style="-moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 50%; background-repeat: repeat repeat;">Raul A. (El Patron)</span></span></span></div><div align="left" style="-moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 50%; background-repeat: repeat repeat;">February 14</span></span></span></div><div align="left" style="-moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%;"><br />
</div><div align="left" style="-moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%;"><a href="" name="subjcns!6C5B1234E40A3C9D!267"></a> <a href="http://elpatron1974.spaces.live.com/blog/cns%216C5B1234E40A3C9D%21267.entry"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 50%; background-repeat: repeat repeat;">U of I Snow Day I & II 2007: The Winter event of a lifetime!</span></span></span></a></div><div align="left" style="-moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%;"><br />
</div><div align="left" style="-moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 50%; background-repeat: repeat repeat;">Greetings to all my fellow bloggers and readers around the world. Today's blog is a very special one. Before I go into details, some acknowledgments are de rigueur: First, to my fellas at St. Funz: Big Bryan, the Schaf, Doug, and of course my White Street Loco partner, Harry - It was awesome to get back together at Broomball, and I can't wait for intramurals to start so we can kick some H-Core ass!!!!! To my friends at the snow fight (Steffen, Scott, Brian, Kelsey, Julie, Jonas, Dominik, Jim, Michelle, Jared... remind me if I forgot someone!), it was awesome to be with y'all at the Quad! To my good friend Katie, great seeing you and I hope Obama makes it to the White House! To Rebecca, I guess I'll see you in a while.</span></span></span></div></div></div><div dir="ltr" id="entrycns!6C5B1234E40A3C9D!267"><div dir="ltr" id="msgcns!6C5B1234E40A3C9D!267"><div style="-moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%;"><span style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 50%; background-repeat: repeat repeat;"> </span></div><div style="-moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 50%; background-repeat: repeat repeat;">Of course, how can I go on without...,</span></span></span></div><div style="-moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%;"><span style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 50%; background-repeat: repeat repeat;"> </span></div><div style="-moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 50%; background-repeat: repeat repeat;">The gratuitous twin nieces update! (Because they don't need no Valentine... they're my family's Valentine!)</span></span></span></div><div style="-moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 50%; background-repeat: repeat repeat;">So I got more pictures of them, and it seems that I finally learned the code to distinguish them faster. You see, I learned from my mom yesterday that Isabella usually wears pink and Manuela usually wears blue. So that's how I can recognize them in pictures! Isabella does look like my sister; whether Manuela looks like me is beyond my scope. Big tip of the hat for my sister for teaching them some discipline early on. HUGE wag of the finger to my dad: Dad, the last thing I want is a couple of spoiled brats as nieces, so quit it! Stop spoiling them, especially Manuela... don't make me go back and take you to school, dude!</span></span></span></div><div style="-moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%;"><span style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 50%; background-repeat: repeat repeat;"> </span></div><div style="-moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 50%; background-repeat: repeat repeat;">Now, on with the blog...</span></span></span></div><div style="-moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%;"><span style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 50%; background-repeat: repeat repeat;"> </span></div><div align="center" style="-moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 50%; background-repeat: repeat repeat;">Snow Day at U of I: A once-in-a-lifetime event and the best time on the snow ever!</span></span></span></div><div align="center" style="-moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%;"><span style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 50%; background-repeat: repeat repeat;"> </span></div><div align="left" style="-moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 50%; background-repeat: repeat repeat;">The Midwest, and Illinois in particular, are pretty unpredictable when it comes to the weather. A common saying here is, "If you don't like the weather... just wait 15 more minutes!" Up until last week, we had a very mild winter, almost no snow and all. In the last two weeks, however, we had an arctic freeze swing by Chambana, with temperatures close to -20 F (about -30-some degrees Celsius). Last week, onTuesday, we had about 4 inches of snow. And on Monday, we had a winter storm alert that became blizzard alert within the hours. It started snowing around 10:00 P.M. People went to the grocery stores in flocks to get supplies for the next two days. Schools closed for the day. By Tuesday morning, some of the smaller colleges closed. But by 8 A.M., our flagship University was still operating. You see, the U of I never closes, unless we're talking about some tsunami coming from Lake Michigan, an asteroid shower hitting campus, or an alien invasion. So we all expected business as usual on Campustown. </span></span></span> </div><div align="left" style="-moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%;"><span style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 50%; background-repeat: repeat repeat;"> </span></div><div align="left" style="-moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 50%; background-repeat: repeat repeat;">And then, the unthinkable just happened. Around 9 A.M., U of I Chancellor Richard Herman sent us all a massmail announcing that CLASSES HAD BEEN CANCELED DUE TO SNOW! You have to understand the ramifications of this: The U of I hadn't closed for classes since 1979. Yes, Illini students are expected to perform regardless of the weather, so for us to hear this news was huge. And what did most of us do given the hard weather conditions? Well, what anyone would do given the magnitude of the event: We went out and played in the snow! The Quad became the stage for the biggest snow extravaganza in the 140-year glorious history of the Orange and Blue. Someone even pulled out his skis and walked on the quad! People playing snow football, picking snow fights, tackling each other to the ground was all you saw for several hours. Oh, and then Snow Day took even more historical significance when the Chancellor announced that today, Wednesday 14, 2007, WE WOULDN'T HAVE CLASSES EITHER! For the first time EVER, the U of I had closed for 2 days in a row! This is unprecedented and all of us are glad to be part of history! I am glad to be part of yet another historical moment in my grad school tenure. The highlight of my Snow Day was climbing the famed monument of the Alma Mater and, atop the chair, sing our famous "Hail to the Orange," one of our most traditional fight songs. In case you've never heard it, it goes like this:</span></span></span></div><div align="left" style="-moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%;"><span style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 50%; background-repeat: repeat repeat;"> </span></div><div align="center" style="-moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 50%; background-repeat: repeat repeat;">HAIL TO THE ORANGE</span></span></span></div><div align="center" style="-moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 50%; background-repeat: repeat repeat;">HAIL TO THE BLUE</span></span></span></div><div align="center" style="-moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 50%; background-repeat: repeat repeat;">HAIL ALMA MATER, EVER SO TRUE [SO TRUE!]</span></span></span></div><div align="center" style="-moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 50%; background-repeat: repeat repeat;">WE LOVE NO OTHER, SO LET OUR MOTTO BE:</span></span></span></div><div align="center" style="-moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 50%; background-repeat: repeat repeat;">VICTORY, ILLINOIS</span></span></span></div><div align="center" style="-moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 50%; background-repeat: repeat repeat;">VARSITY!!!!!</span></span></span></div><div align="center" style="-moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%;"><span style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 50%; background-repeat: repeat repeat;"> </span></div><div align="left" style="-moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 50%; background-repeat: repeat repeat;">It was an uber-cool moment, let me tell you, the kind you tell friends and your children about forever and ever. Those of us who played together this cold afternoon will neer forget this, and if you missed it... shame on you! Snow Day I and II will never return, it'll never be the same after this, we saw history in the making!</span></span></span></div><div align="left" style="-moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%;"><span style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 50%; background-repeat: repeat repeat;"> </span></div><div align="left" style="-moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 50%; background-repeat: repeat repeat;">However, I know that there's a flip side to all the frolicking in the snow. When the snow settled, we had somewhere around 10 inches to 3 or 4 feet of snow in some areas. People have their cars buried in the snow, and very likely some folks are still locked in their homes because of the snow piled up. Chambana is white all over, the snow will need weeks to finally melt. I imagine lots of businesses lost money because of closing and maybe damages. In fact, one of our basketball players was a victim of the blizzard, and God knows how many more injuries and casualties there may be. My thoughts and prayers go with all those who may have suffered the consequences of the hardest blizzard in decades in Central Illinois. </span></span></span> </div><div align="left" style="-moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%;"><span style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 50%; background-repeat: repeat repeat;"> </span></div><div align="left" style="-moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 50%; background-repeat: repeat repeat;">Champaign-Urbana is getting back to normal around the snow. Be as it may, all of us who lived it and enjoyed will always have these moments etched in our memories. True, we're here for our education, but there are things that define each generation of Illini Alumni. For us, Snow Day I & II will always be one of those. After all, how many of you before us or after us can say that you had a ginormous snow fight on the quad? And you don't know what Hail to the Orange means until you've climbed the Alma Mater in the midst of a blizzard. Snow Day I & II, the two days when U of I closed, will be in our memories and hearts forever.</span></span></span></div><div align="left" style="-moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%;"><span style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 50%; background-repeat: repeat repeat;"> </span></div><div align="left" style="-moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 50%; background-repeat: repeat repeat;">Good luck to all, enjoy the weather you get right now, and talk to you soon!</span></span></span></div><div align="left" style="-moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%;"><span style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 50%; background-repeat: repeat repeat;"> </span></div><div align="left" style="-moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 50%; background-repeat: repeat repeat;">Till my next blog...</span></span></span></div><div align="left" style="-moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%;"><span style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 50%; background-repeat: repeat repeat;"> </span></div><div align="left" style="-moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 50%; background-repeat: repeat repeat;">Raul (El Patron)</span></span></span></div><div align="left" style="-moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%;"><br />
</div><div align="left" style="-moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 50%; background-repeat: repeat repeat;">February 06</span></span></span></div><div align="left" style="-moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%;"><br />
</div><div align="left" style="-moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%;"><a href="" name="subjcns!6C5B1234E40A3C9D!265"></a> <a href="http://elpatron1974.spaces.live.com/blog/cns%216C5B1234E40A3C9D%21265.entry"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 50%; background-repeat: repeat repeat;">And the GEEK Shall Rule the Earth: The Geekiest Blog Yet</span></span></span></a></div><div align="left" style="-moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%;"><br />
</div><div align="left" style="-moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 50%; background-repeat: repeat repeat;">Paraphrasing James Brown: "Say it loud... I'M GEEK AND I'M PROUD!!!!!"</span></span></span></div><div align="left" style="-moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%;"><br />
</div><div align="left" style="-moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 50%; background-repeat: repeat repeat;">Greetings to all my fellow bloggers and siblings in arms around the world... I'm back with the blog. First, some acknowledgments and news. So last week, there was a huge forum at the U of I about race, racism, and privilege. If you go to the U of I, regardless of nationality and missed this, big SHAME ON YOU!!!!! It was very interesting and enlightening. I made some comments in regards to what I wrote in my last blog. To those of you who heard me and gave me props, thanks! I'm truly humbled that you liked what I said. In all honesty, I just had to speak because some change has to take place here before things escalate. Now, onto less transcendental issues, Broomball season is under way, and I can't wait to play with my brothers in arms Bryan and the Schaf! And this time, we're going intramural baby!!!!! I'll keep you posted. To my friend John Garlisch, thanks for a nice Super Bowl shindig. It was fun, and it was good to see some friends there...</span></span></span></div></div></div><div align="left" style="-moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%;"><span style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 50%; background-repeat: repeat repeat;"> </span></div><div align="left" style="-moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 50%; background-repeat: repeat repeat;">So DA BEARS lost. Yes, I'm still a 49ers fan at heart, but I remember the SUPERBOWL SHUFFLE... Heck, I saw it WHEN IT HAPPENED, not the yearly reruns!!!!!! And I heard about Jim McMahon, Walter Payton, and the Fridge long before many of you... plus I LOVE CHI-TOWN... That's my claim to being a BEARS FAN as well... It was sad to see Da Bears lose yesterday... but we'll get back... </span></span></span> </div><div align="left" style="-moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%;"><span style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 50%; background-repeat: repeat repeat;"> </span></div><div align="left" style="-moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 50%; background-repeat: repeat repeat;">Oh, and now... yes you know it... it's time for...</span></span></span></div><div align="left" style="-moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 50%; background-repeat: repeat repeat;">The Gratuitous Twin Nieces Update (Because even though my sister doesn't know it... they're geekettes in training!): So I saw the girls on webcam on Saturday! They looked absolutely gorgeous, sporting their ILLINI T-SHIRTS!!!!!! Oh they were adorable... I hope to get more pictures coming soon!</span></span></span></div><div align="left" style="-moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%;"><span style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 50%; background-repeat: repeat repeat;"> </span></div><div align="left" style="-moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 50%; background-repeat: repeat repeat;">And now, it's time for our feature presentation:</span></span></span></div><div align="left" style="-moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%;"><span style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 50%; background-repeat: repeat repeat;"> </span></div><div align="center" style="-moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 50%; background-repeat: repeat repeat;">THIS IS THE DAWNING OF THE AGE OF GEEKQUARIUS, GEEKQUARIUS.... GEEKQUARIUS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!</span></span></span></div><div align="center" style="-moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%;"><span style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 50%; background-repeat: repeat repeat;"> </span></div><div align="left" style="-moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 50%; background-repeat: repeat repeat;">As I said above, I'm proud to be a Geek. I can't deny it, I'm doing a PhD, that automatically places me there. No shame in that! You see, these days, being a Geek, as opposed to the Nerd stereotypes of the 70's and 80's, is not such a bad thing after all. You can be a geek and have a sense of fashion. Long gone are the days where Urkel was the quintessential geek. We've now got better symbols to look up to. This beginning of the century has two common denominators: An utter disgust for the lack of brains of the average celebrities and the rise of people who don't look "Perfect" but are actually cool and successful, albeit a bit aloof at times. You don't believe me? Well, here's my evidence:</span></span></span></div><div align="left" style="-moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%;"><span style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 50%; background-repeat: repeat repeat;"> </span></div><div align="left" style="-moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 50%; background-repeat: repeat repeat;">1. Biggest grossing movies of the last 5 years (some, at least): Lord of the Rings Trilogy, Harry Potter, X-Men, The Matrix Trilogy</span></span></span></div><div align="left" style="-moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 50%; background-repeat: repeat repeat;">2. Some of the most popular books in the last 5 years: Harry Potter (come on, Harry, Ron, and Hermione are pretty geeky... but cool!)</span></span></span></div><div align="left" style="-moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 50%; background-repeat: repeat repeat;">3. Some of the most popular TV shows in the last 5 years: CSI (Grisham is a certified Geek, Ph.D. and all!), Law and Order (all variations), Monk (Sherlock Holmes with OCD anyone?), Lost (it takes a lot of thinking to follow on the subplots), Heroes.</span></span></span></div><div align="left" style="-moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 50%; background-repeat: repeat repeat;">4. Weird Al Yankovic's "WHITE AND NERDY" actually outranked the original (Chamillionnaire's Ridin' Dirty) in the Top 40 lists! You know you're legit when Ice-T introduces you on TV as a Hip-hop legend!</span></span></span></div><div align="left" style="-moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 50%; background-repeat: repeat repeat;">5. The Transformers Movie is coming in 2007.</span></span></span></div><div align="left" style="-moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 50%; background-repeat: repeat repeat;">6. Google and YouTube, Bill Gates and Steve Jobs... all geek-related.</span></span></span></div><div align="left" style="-moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 50%; background-repeat: repeat repeat;">7. Some of the most popular cartoons around: Get Fuzzy (come on, Bucky, Rob, and Satchel are all pretty geeky) and PhD, Piled Higher and Deeper (about, you guessed it, Grad Students).</span></span></span></div><div align="left" style="-moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 50%; background-repeat: repeat repeat;">8. Time magazine declared all of "us" (as in all of us who blog, Facebook, and go to YouTube and Wikipedia) as the Person of the Year.</span></span></span></div><div align="left" style="-moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 50%; background-repeat: repeat repeat;">9. Coolest comedians/satirists: Steve Carrell (we all loved the 40-year-old virgin), Steven Colbert, Jon Stewart, Ben Stiller, The Wilson Brothers, even Will Ferrell has some quirky geekiness to himself... all making geek pretty chic!</span></span></span></div><div align="left" style="-moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 50%; background-repeat: repeat repeat;">and La Piece de Resistance... as much as it pains us Bears fans...</span></span></span></div><div align="left" style="-moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 50%; background-repeat: repeat repeat;">10. Peyton Manning, the Anti-Tom Brady and probably the geekiest quarterback of all time, is the SuperBowl MVP. Heck, even Tony Dungy looks geeky... but he's respected now as a football genius!</span></span></span></div><div align="left" style="-moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%;"><span style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 50%; background-repeat: repeat repeat;"> </span></div><div align="left" style="-moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 50%; background-repeat: repeat repeat;">I could think of more examples, but that's beside the point. Being a GEEK is actually pretty cool these days. We've come a long way since "Revenge of the Nerds." Stereotypes are being broken yet again, and hopefully these signs will help children around the world, whom I know from experience as a student and teacher, in high schools and colleges around the world, not to be shameful because they're laborious, like to study hard, and get good grades. I'm fine with it, after all, being a geek has taken me far and wide... as has many of my friends here at Illinois and elsewhere. So, again, to paraphrase good ole James Brown, </span></span></span> </div><div align="left" style="-moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%;"><span style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 50%; background-repeat: repeat repeat;"> </span></div><div align="center" style="-moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 50%; background-repeat: repeat repeat;">SAY IT LOUD, I'M GEEK AND I'M PROUD!</span></span></span></div><div align="center" style="-moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%;"><span style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 50%; background-repeat: repeat repeat;"> </span></div><div align="left" style="-moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 50%; background-repeat: repeat repeat;">Till my next blog!</span></span></span></div><div align="left" style="-moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%;"><span style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 50%; background-repeat: repeat repeat;"> </span></div><div align="left" style="-moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 50%;">Raul A. (El Patron)</span></span></span></div>el patron himself, Dr. Raúl A. Morahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07874252858044754446noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3021884291134853048.post-39980260626925651922007-09-15T15:20:00.002-05:002011-07-19T09:03:59.704-05:00My Blog 2.0: Blogs for 2006<div style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms';">Greetings to all my "fans" on the Blogosphere. I've decided to relocate my blog since I don't see the point in keeping that space on msn. I'll soon have a website and I have my Facebook profile. However, here are my blogs from last year. Soon I'll post up my blogs up to this month.</div><span style="color: black; font-family: 'trebuchet ms';">Talk to you soon!</span><br />
<div style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms';">Raul A. (El Patron)<br />
</div><div style="-moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%;"><br />
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</div><div align="left" style="-moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 50%; background-repeat: repeat repeat;">December 25</span></span></span></div><h4 style="-moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-top: 0in;"><a href="" name="subjcns!6C5B1234E40A3C9D!257"></a> <a href="http://elpatron1974.spaces.live.com/blog/cns%216C5B1234E40A3C9D%21257.entry"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 50%; background-repeat: repeat repeat;">El Patron's got a brand new blog!</span></span></span></a></h4><div dir="ltr" id="msgcns!6C5B1234E40A3C9D!257"><div align="center" style="-moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 50%; background-repeat: repeat repeat;">"I feel good... I knew that I would... So good, so good, I got a blog!"</span></span></span></div><div align="left" style="-moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 50%; background-repeat: repeat repeat;">Greetings to all my friends and bloggers around the world. I hope you're all having a good Holiday season and that you managed to have a good time with friends and family. So far, my Chambana holiday has been pretty decent. I've had some good times and making mucho dinero manning the front desk at the S-Hall. </span></span></span> </div><div align="left" style="-moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 50%; background-repeat: repeat repeat;">Of course, Xmas acknowledgements: First, to my posse at S-Hall: Nate The Great, Rossen, Johnny "Bravo" Tenegra, it was fun having dinner with y'all last night. Alejandro, Maryline, Jeremy, how nice that you made it and joined us. Diana S., nice meeting you last night. Claudia, thanks for the call and I hope you and your family had a good time last night. Bryan, my man, James Bond rocks and I'll hopefully see you, Doug, and the Schaf for yet another season of Broomball! Finally, to The Brar... Bro, it was great talking to you over the weekend. You know damn well that as long as we're here, you have a place to stay in Chambana, and we can't wait to get together again!</span></span></span></div><div align="left" style="-moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 50%; background-repeat: repeat repeat;">Oh yes, you don't have to say "Please, please, please..." as here's another installment of...</span></span></span></div><div align="left" style="-moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 50%; background-repeat: repeat repeat;">The Gratuitous Twin Nieces Update! (Because they're the gift that keeps on giving!)</span></span></span></div><div align="left" style="-moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 50%; background-repeat: repeat repeat;">So I called my family on Xmas Eve, and I talked to mom, dad, my sister, my granda... and Manuela? Oh yes, my family put her through, and as silly as it may, it was cute to hear her coo on the phone. Whatever she said is still beyond my understanding, but learning that they're developing their powers of speech is always a blessing. Isabella didn't say much, it seems that she's still trying to figure out where that voice is coming from so they tell me all she does is listen in awe. I should be getting pictures. I also asked for pictures of mine as a baby to finally confirm if it's so true that she looks like me. </span></span></span> </div><div style="-moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 50%; background-repeat: repeat repeat;">And now, back to the blog... </span></span></span> </div><div align="center" style="-moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 50%; background-repeat: repeat repeat;">Cause I feel like a blog machine man... Get up, get on down, like a blog machine... </span></span></span> </div><div align="left" style="-moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 50%; background-repeat: repeat repeat;">I wasn't planning on using James Brown as a topic for any blogs, until I read about his death today. I love music and I love dancing, that's a no-brainer. What some of you may not know is that I've been a fan of James Brown since childhood. When did this happen? Probably after watching "The Blues Brothers" and that scene where he plays a preacher that helps Elwood and Jake discover the way to get the money (if you haven't seen that movie, what are you waiting for?). Then I guess I kept watching James Brown stuff over the years. One I remember in particular was a rare performance on Cinemax, with Aretha Franklin, their first-ever duet singing "Please Please Please," one of JB's landmarks. There I witnessed that amazing act of his when he gets on his knees in mid-song, someone puts a CAPE on him, walks him through the stage, and then he comes back... that's heaven right there ladies and gents. A year ago, I think, I actually did that with a friend here at school. She did the JB part and I put an imaginary cape and we did the whole thing... comedy gold right there! I have tried (successfully on a few times) to do JB's slide dance to the tune of "I feel good"... </span></span></span> </div><div align="left" style="-moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 50%; background-repeat: repeat repeat;">James Brown is one of my favorites, and his memory will remain in the hearts of anyone who likes Motown, R&B, Soul, even Hip-Hop and Rap... Rest in Peace JAMES BROWN, and dammit are folks in heaven ready for a party... This year everyone in heaven will "Get on the good foot" with The Godfather of Soul!</span></span></span></div><div align="center" style="-moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 50%; background-repeat: repeat repeat;">Merry Christmas to those who CAN'T be home</span></span></span></div><div align="left" style="-moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 50%; background-repeat: repeat repeat;">Being away from those whom I love during the holidays gives you plenty of time to think. Speaking to all my family, they all told me how much they missed me and even declared how brave I kind of was for being here and taking it with a smile. Granted, I'm the only one in my family who would do this (my sister would never dare to be away from my folks for the holidays), but my situation is a bit different. After all, I, as well as a few more who stayed in town, made this our choice. Sometimes it's lack of money or too much work, or both, what makes you be away from your relatives, but being here gave me time to think of others who really have little choice but to be away from home and can't even wish their loved ones a Merry Christmas. </span></span></span> </div><div align="left" style="-moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 50%; background-repeat: repeat repeat;">One group I'm thinking about now is all those Soldiers around the world. Whether you agree with war or not, that's beside the point. My dad was in the Colombian Army, and yet me and my sister were lucky enough not to have to worry for his safety come Christmas. That was a luxury we had. Right now, many children couldn't open their presents sitting on their fathers' laps because their parents are in uniform defending the very freedom we have to dine in relative peace with our friends. Whether they have to fight a foreign or domestic enemy, and regardless of our positions on war, we cannot forget these are human beings making a sacrifice, whether by choice or necessity, and they're paying too high a price. I know that, right now, at home, many soldiers are in the middle of a jungle, or in the mountains, trying to make a difference for my country; it's thanks to them that people like me can devote their time and effort to write a dissertation or a blog, knowing that they're working for a better country so that maybe when I'm back in 2008, or 9, I can find an even better country. So, to all of them, MERRY CHRISTMAS and THANKS. As I said, I don't have to agree with war but I can respect their sacrifice. Those are not mutually exclusive.</span></span></span></div><div align="left" style="-moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 50%; background-repeat: repeat repeat;">I also want to send my best wishes to anyone in a hospital at this time. I may be far from home, but at least I can walk, and when I go to bed, it's my choice as to when I lay down and when I get up. Some folks had to stay away from their living and dining rooms and had little choice as to what was for dinner. If that was not one of you, count your blessings and wish them all a Merry Christmas.</span></span></span></div><div align="left" style="-moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 50%; background-repeat: repeat repeat;">Some people are born on December 25th... it's hard to think of a better gift for their families! True, you may get a bit ripped off come Birthday time, but hey that comes with the territory. Plus, think of this: Some people have to actually MOURN their loved ones during Christmas. I guess that puts getting 1 present for the price of 2 holidays under a new perspective. If you, or anyone you know happen to have such bittersweet moments during Christmas, my thoughts and prayers are also with you. It's hard to think of the lost relatives this time of the year anyways, I can't imagine how hard it must be if their anniversaries coincide with the holidays.</span></span></span></div><div align="left" style="-moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 50%; background-repeat: repeat repeat;">Finally, I cannot help but think of my nieces. They have a pretty nice safety blanket, with two grandparents who are crazy about them and two loving parents... and yes a pretty eccentric, geeky, and pretty odd uncle (hey, every family has one of those, and I fit the bill better than my sister does). Unfortunately, that's not the case all the time. There were a lot of kids this Christmas that had to celebrate their holidays sans that safety blanket. Whatever the reason, whether death or someone's ill thinking (it's not up to me to play judge and jury on anyone), these kids couldn't enjoy what many of us could: Happy Childhood Christmas memories that'll last us a lifetime. To them, MERRY CHRISTMAS and my hopes that one day the tables will turn around.</span></span></span></div><div align="left" style="-moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 50%; background-repeat: repeat repeat;">There are many more that I haven't mentioned... for all of those, MERRY CHRISTMAS also. </span></span></span> </div><div align="left" style="-moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 50%; background-repeat: repeat repeat;">These thoughts have been on my mind as of late, when I embraced the fact that I was staying here all winter break. I realized that it doesn't really suck (as many would frame it) not to leave campus for the holidays. Even if I were the only one here, it wouldn't suck either. After all, my being here is just the result of many blessings. When it comes to my family, we've all learned that love is not a matter of geography but of feelings. Sometimes you have a neighbor (or a relative, for that matter) right next door all your life, and you never spend one minute together, or you can't stand each other. And, when you're away from your biological family, if you're fortunate enough, you may end up spending Christmas Eve in the middle of a graduate dorm lobby with a made-up "family" of your own, a group of people from all over the world, just like you, who get together to celebrate the holidays. Because sometimes that's what being ANY family is all about... trying as hard as you can not to let your "siblings" spend those times by themselves.</span></span></span></div><div align="left" style="-moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 50%; background-repeat: repeat repeat;">So, once again, MERRY CHRISTMAS and HAPPY HOLIDAYS to you all... and I can definitely say, as good 'ole JB would:</span></span></span></div><div align="center" style="-moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 50%; background-repeat: repeat repeat;">I FEEL GOOD!</span></span></span></div><div align="left" style="-moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 50%; background-repeat: repeat repeat;">Till my next blog...</span></span></span></div><div align="left" style="-moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 50%; background-repeat: repeat repeat;">Raul A. (El Patron)</span></span></span></div></div><div dir="ltr" id="entrycns!6C5B1234E40A3C9D!153"><div style="-moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%;"><br />
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</div><div dir="ltr" id="LastMDatecns!6C5B1234E40A3C9D!153"><div style="-moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 50%; background-repeat: repeat repeat;">December 03</span></span></span></div></div><h4 style="-moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-top: 0in;"><a href="" name="subjcns!6C5B1234E40A3C9D!153"></a> <a href="http://elpatron1974.spaces.live.com/blog/cns%216C5B1234E40A3C9D%21153.entry"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 50%; background-repeat: repeat repeat;">Christmas Blog Numero Uno</span></span></span></a></h4><div dir="ltr" id="msgcns!6C5B1234E40A3C9D!153"><div align="center" style="-moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%;"><em><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 50%; background-repeat: repeat repeat;">On the first blog of Christmas, El Patron gave to me, a partridge in a pear tree :)!!!!</span></span></span></em></div><div align="left" style="-moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 50%; background-repeat: repeat repeat;">Greetings to all my fellow bloggers and readers around the world. So it's December and Christmas is here! Some acknowledgments, as always: First, to my friend Kelsey, thanks for the invite for coffee last night, I haven't forgotten about your invite for Xmas. Also, to my Broomball gang (Big Bryan, the Schaf, etc.), it was a very fun "season," I can't wait to go back and play during the spring semester. If you're game for going intramural, let me know. I think we can pull it off. I know some of my friends might stay in town for the Holidays (Aragon, Andy...), we should try and get together sometime during the break.</span></span></span></div><div align="left" style="-moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 50%; background-repeat: repeat repeat;">What can a blog of mine without...</span></span></span></div><div align="left" style="-moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 50%; background-repeat: repeat repeat;">Another gratuitous twin nieces update (because my sister has two babies to spare for the role of Baby Jesus at any school Xmas play!) Well, I talked to a childhood friend and neighbor back home, and she told me that they're getting bigger and cuter by the minute. She also told me that Manuela seems to have quite the temper. Not surprising, knowing how "peaches and cream" her mom is, and by "peaches" I mean overripe ones and by "cream" I mean a month-old sour cream... so you get the picture. I should be getting pics and videos of them in January. </span></span></span> </div><div align="left" style="-moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 50%; background-repeat: repeat repeat;">Now on to the blog...</span></span></span></div><div align="center" style="-moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 50%; background-repeat: repeat repeat;">The Isolation of the Dissertation</span></span></span></div><div align="left" style="-moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 50%; background-repeat: repeat repeat;">A few weeks ago, around Thanksgiving, I got an e-mail from my adviser (God bless her soul!), expressing serious worries about my well-being. It turns out her concern was not a figment of her imagination. This semester has turned out to be tougher than I initially thought. I've had to readapt my existing schemata to include teaching as another duty in addition to two research projects and my dissy. That has somewhat shrunk my time, and it's taken a toll on me throughout the semester. I've had to learn to accept that progress is sometimes much slower than what you'd wish, and I'm learning to deal with that frustration... which more often than not is a very lonesome road. That has been the hardest adjustment: Learning to cope with even more isolation. </span></span></span> </div><div align="left" style="-moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 50%; background-repeat: repeat repeat;">It seems ironic that most reserach I've done is as part of a team, but the biggest moment of my studies is all by myself. Add to that a series of personal issues that I've shared with you all in previous blogs, and sometimes the trek seems insurmountable. That message from my advisor was an interesting wake-up call. I'm aware that I'm a bit behind, but I've also realized that it's something one has to include in one's budget as a possibility. Not everything will be clockwork, there will be lots of roadblocks. I've also reminded myself that sometimes it's okay to seek help. I'll probably seek some counseling to help me manage the high levels of stress that are part of my everyday life, and I will take the winter break to get my act together.</span></span></span></div><div align="center" style="-moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 50%; background-repeat: repeat repeat;">Those who can, DO TEACH... those who can't, there are plenty of other options out there!</span></span></span></div><div align="left" style="-moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 50%; background-repeat: repeat repeat;">It's the end of my first semester back to teaching. As I shared in a previous blog, I've been very excited to be back. In fact, having worked with early childhood and elementary education prospective teachers has been very enlightening. I've learned so much about that, and I think I've been able to teach those kids a thing or two. I think probably the hardest thing for my students has been getting used to my grading, but they're hard-working individuals and have realized that I grade hard because I care. Yes, reading 80 papers carefully enough is a tough task, but as I keep telling my students, "If a teacher has the AUDACITY to assign homework, s/he had better have the DECENCY to ready it carefully and give some feedback." Whether this has rubbed off on them, only time will tell. All I know is that they've worked even harder this time around... after all, they know I take my craft seriously. </span></span></span> </div><div align="left" style="-moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 50%; background-repeat: repeat repeat;">This idea leads me into a popular proverb by George Bernard Shaw, "Those who can't, do; those who can't, teach." With all due respect to Mr. Shaw, and with apologies to the audience, that's just a sack of bullshit! I can assure you, people like him wouldn't have the cojones to stand in front of a classroom, dealing with 30-some clients at a time, and provide the best quality service. After all, teachers are the only people expected to serve multiple clients simultaneously. Bank tellers don't have to do that, they have everybody stand in line and take care of one customer. Same goes with cashiers. You don't see a cashier at Wal-Mart jumping from machine to machine, helping several customers move their items through the registers. No! They sit in ONE and help one customer at a time. Medical doctors (by the way, any jokes about how I won't be a real doctor... and I'll go freaking Albert Pujols or Big Papi on your butts! I'm thinking of getting one of them Louisville bats just in case!) usually help one patient at a time. On, and add to the equation that NOBODY thinks they can do it better than they can. That's what teachers have to deal with every day: 30 "customers" they have to attend to at the same time, while also taking care of their parents, excessive amounts of paperwork (no architect has to take the building home with him/her, right?), etc, etc, etc.</span></span></span></div><div align="left" style="-moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 50%; background-repeat: repeat repeat;">So I say, the hell with that phrase. I think those who CAN and CARE, do TEACH. Those who can't... please let us do our job. Otherwise, don't be surprised if I show up with a scalpel and scrubs to perform that surgery at the hospital, with a hard helmet and blueprints to build your homes, or wearing a suit to defend you in court. Scared? Just as I would if I saw any of you non-teachers messing with my classrooms!</span></span></span></div><div align="center" style="-moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 50%; background-repeat: repeat repeat;">I'm kind of like the Grinch... or am I?</span></span></span></div><div align="left" style="-moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 50%; background-repeat: repeat repeat;">As I said above, Xmas is here. Historically, I've never been gung-ho for Xmas. That's probably my sister. I imagine her condo must be fully decorated with the "holy trinity" of decorations: tree, lights, nativity scene. I assume even my folks' home is. My apartment, however, not so much. Until last week, I was pretty bummed out about Xmas. But something changed on Friday. As I woke up and noticed the snow on the driveway (I was house-sitting for some professors) my first thought was, "Damn! Now I have to shovel the driveway to get the car out! (I didn't have to). As I went out to walk the dog, something dawned on me. I started remembering my first Xmas in the US, which I actually spent here in Champaign-Urbana: The excitement of the first snowfall, how much fun I had on Xmas Eve, even though I was home alone, playing with the snow and a bucket, making snowballs and throwing them against a tree, taking pictures in the snow, even how I had to walk 10 blocks in the middle of the snow to attend a Xmas dinner I was invited. </span></span></span> </div><div align="left" style="-moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 50%; background-repeat: repeat repeat;">Those thoughts, as well as frolicking in the snow with Howie (the dog) have made me change my mind a little. I'm starting to look forward to this Xmas, I think I might not be superexciting, but at least I'll be making some cash and I can still have some fun while here. I would really like to get out of town for a day or so, maybe go to Chi-town, but I'll try to make do with what I've got. After all, I've realized that even if I feel isolated because of my dissertation, I'm not alone here at all. I don't want to screw up my family's Xmas after all, or my friends' for that matter. Heck, I think I'll put up some lights in my aparment tonight, and will try to buy a small tree sometime next week. </span></span></span> </div><div align="left" style="-moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 50%; background-repeat: repeat repeat;">Maybe, after all, I'm not the poor man's Ebeneezer Scrooge, or the Latino Grinch for that matter. I'm ready for Christmas. I'll figure out a way to have fun this winter break, while I also write that proposal I'm long overdue to write!</span></span></span></div><div align="left" style="-moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 50%; background-repeat: repeat repeat;">That's all for now, folks. Till my next blog...</span></span></span></div><div align="left" style="-moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%;"><a href="" name="blogAddComment3"></a><a href="" name="blogSendMessage3"></a><a href="" name="blogPermalink3"></a><a href="" name="blogTrackbacks3"></a><a href="" name="blogThis3"></a> <span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 50%; background-repeat: repeat repeat;">Raul A. (El Patron)</span></span></span></div></div></div><div dir="ltr" id="entrycns!6C5B1234E40A3C9D!152"><div style="-moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%;"><br />
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</div><div dir="ltr" id="LastMDatecns!6C5B1234E40A3C9D!152"><div style="-moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 50%; background-repeat: repeat repeat;">November 22</span></span></span></div></div><h4 style="-moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-top: 0in;"><a href="" name="subjcns!6C5B1234E40A3C9D!152"></a> <a href="http://elpatron1974.spaces.live.com/blog/cns%216C5B1234E40A3C9D%21152.entry"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 50%; background-repeat: repeat repeat;">Blogged Potatoes and Gravy: The Blog, Turkey Day Edition</span></span></span></a></h4><div dir="ltr" id="msgcns!6C5B1234E40A3C9D!152"><div style="-moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%; margin-bottom: 0.2in;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 50%; background-repeat: repeat repeat;">Greetings to all my friends, readers, and fellow bloggers around the world. It seems that it's been a while since my last blog (Rebecca, my apologies), so it's time for some Black Wednesday blogging. Yes, it's true. I'm not hitting the bars going for a beer on the eve of Thanksgiving. I'll be instead working at one of the grad dorms at the U of I (Sherman Hall) from 11 pm to 3 am. Hey, I can always use an extra buck or two for Christmas. As always, my acknowledgments: Rebecca, thanks again for the letter, I hope to hear from you soon. To my Broomball gang (Bryan, Tom, Schaf, etc.), you'd better show your sorry behinds next week for the last night of the Fall season... we're gonna wreak havok at the ice arena, take no prisoners... As I always say when I play defense at the beginning of every game, quoting good 'ole Mr. Montana, "You think you can take me? You gonna need a f***ing army you gonna take me!" See you at the rink next week my fellow warriors! To the Sherman Hall gang (Rosska, Ivan, Nate, et al), it's always fun to see you at the SHall... And I'll be back for an encore in two weeks!<br />
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As always, it's now time for...<br />
<i>Another gratuitous Twin Nieces update (because that's yet another reason for me to say thanks tomorrow night)... Well, the girls seem to be doing well. I spoke to my sister last night, but she had a lot of reports to write for school. But, mom tells me that there will be no need for a star in the Christmas tree, since the real stars will be at my sister's apartment. As soon as I have more pictures, I'll post them for your viewing pleasure.<br />
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</i>And now, have some pecan pie and grab that turkey leg... because it's time for the Blog!</span></span></span></div><div align="center" style="-moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%; margin-bottom: 0.2in;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 50%; background-repeat: repeat repeat;">Thanksgiving: Turkey, pumpkin pie... and homework?</span></span></span></div><div align="left" style="-moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 50%; background-repeat: repeat repeat;">Thanksgiving is perhaps the most important holiday in the US, even larger than Christmas to many. By this time, most people on campus are back home, either relaxing with their families or maybe meeting friends at bars for Black Wednesday. Tomorrow, it's all about having lots of food, watching some American football on TV, and spending time with friends and family. Being at a Thanksgiving dinner is the chance to enjoy a large piece of Americana (no pun intended). I've had a few dinners here and there, so I can't complain. However, if you're in grad school (and most particularly if you're an international student), Thanksgiving usually means one thing: It's the week of the year when you can actually try and catch up on some of the work you still need to do before the end of the semester. In fact, for many of us grad students, this is a blessing in disguise: We have a little more time to write those papers, analyze those data, or get some paperwork together. When you have to attend or teach classes, go to meetings, and so forth, time can be scarce. In addition, campus is pretty calm and quiet, and that's always refreshing after 4 months of non-stop action around Chambana. <br />
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Although the campus is pretty deserted during this week, there are still plenty of us who need to get work done. That is part of the reason why graduate students tend to remain on campus, at least till Wednesday. The other reason is that since we are both students and employees, some holiday rules don't apply to us due to the dual functions. Thanksgiving is one of those. As students, we get the week off; as employees, we're still expected to be around for work (especially when we do research). That doesn't mean that everybody who leaves campus gets a whole week off, however. Many people still have to get homework ready for the week after Thanskgiving, so it's not uncommon that students take some work home. But, they still have the luxury to go home and meet their families.<br />
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As I've said, I've been invited to dinners before, at least my first two years. After that, invitations are scarce, if non-existant. I want to thank someone, though, for an impromptu invitation to a dinner: To my friend Kelsey, gracias. I would've loved to go, but I already have a full schedule. Just have a big piece of turkey for me. However, if you read this (and I don't say it for me, by any means) and know of someone who'll be all by him/herself on Thanksgiving Day, do wish them a Happy Thanksgiving. There are lots of international students here with very few friends, who haven't seen friends and family for years, and who'll be wondering what to do that day. Just remember the luxury of seeing your family when they're hours away from you and remember those who can't do as you can. And if you can, do invite them. When you're new to this country, that's something you appreciate and cherish for the rest of your life.<br />
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As I mentioned earlier, Thanksgiving is about being thankful. So here are a few things that I have to be thankful for on this holiday:</span></span></span></div><div align="left" style="-moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 50%; background-repeat: repeat repeat;">- I'm thankful for all the work I have to do (really)... after all, I chose to be here, and with all this work I have to do come lots of opportunities to grow and learn. After all, those of you helping write a book and a series of future articles for journals raise your hand... just as I imagined!<br />
- I'm thankful for Illinois weather... after all, if I hadn't experienced this, I wouldn't have realized that I have no reason to whine about the weather in Colombia... and neither should all of you down there!<br />
- I'm thankful for my worn-out, Slowpoke Rodriguez-like office computer... after all, it's helping me navigate my dissertation, research, and writing, while allowing me to go to coffee shops and communicate with my friends and family.<br />
- I'm thankful for the 80 papers I graded and another 80 coming next week... after all, I would never have realized how much I've learned to write in the past 4 years. Also, it gives me a chance to be a true mentor to those future teachers and help them improve on their mistakes, which in turn will benefit their students.<br />
- I'm thankful for some of my money struggles... after all, that's taught me to enjoy things I wouldn't if I were always buoyant, like the pleasure of going grocery shopping and seeing a full fridge, the taste of a beer after weeks of just drinking water at a bar, or learning to enjoy those things that money cannot really buy.<br />
- I'm thankful for my friends... after all, if they've put up with me for so long, they've got to be very special people.<br />
- I'm thankful for my family... after all, they're a never-ending supply of fuel for my soul, and always give me a reason not to give up.</span></span></span></div><div style="-moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%;"><a href="" name="blogAddComment4"></a><a href="" name="blogSendMessage4"></a><a href="" name="blogPermalink4"></a><a href="" name="blogTrackbacks4"></a><a href="" name="blogThis4"></a> <span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 50%; background-repeat: repeat repeat;">So, as you can see, there's plenty to appreciate this season. So I'll have to make instant mashed potatoes and have some slices of turkey breast for my Thanksgiving lunch tomorrow... it's cool. After all, there's more to share in life than food, and all my friends are in my thoughts this holiday.<br />
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HAPPY THANKSGIVING TO ALL... and see you soon!!!!<br />
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Raul (El Patron)<br />
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</div><div dir="ltr" id="LastMDatecns!6C5B1234E40A3C9D!151"><div style="-moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 50%; background-repeat: repeat repeat;">October 23</span></span></span></div></div><h4 style="-moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-top: 0in;"><a href="" name="subjcns!6C5B1234E40A3C9D!151"></a> <a href="http://elpatron1974.spaces.live.com/blog/cns%216C5B1234E40A3C9D%21151.entry"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 50%; background-repeat: repeat repeat;">The Dissertation Saga: A series of "sports events"?</span></span></span></a></h4><div dir="ltr" id="msgcns!6C5B1234E40A3C9D!151"><div align="center" style="-moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%; margin-bottom: 0.2in;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 50%; background-repeat: repeat repeat;">Greetings to all my friends around the world. I'm taking a break from work and my dissy, so what better way to do so than by blogging once again. It's a way to keep my mind rolling and my writing active. I talked to my dad over the weekend, and hopefully he should be out of the hospital by tomorrow. Yay!!!! Especially for my mom, she misses dad at home!!!! Of course, quick holla to my broomball pals (Bryan, Tom, et al...) I'll see you at the rink tonight for more hardcore broomball action!!!!!<br />
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It's getting colder as the days go by. Now I got my hat, gloves, and a really snuggly sweater I bought last weekend at this vintage store here in Champaign. I love my sweater!!!! Well, I love fall, as you well know. In fact, I kind of like the change of seasons, it's a nice variation in the scenery and wardrobe that's pretty refreshing.<br />
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And now... it's time for...</span></span></span></div><div align="left" style="-moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 50%; background-repeat: repeat repeat;">The gratuitous twin nieces update (what can I say... they're too cute not to be in the blog!): Well my friends, Isabella and Manuela have officially joined the FOOTBALLUCION (Those on Facebook know very well what I'm talking about... for the others, just remember: IT'S NOT SOCCER, YOU DUMMIES... IT'S FOOTBALL!!!!!!!!) courtesy of their dad. I got a picture yesterday of the twins donning River Plate outfits their dad had brought directly from Argentina... I can't really say they looked cute with such an outfit (had they worn Independiente gear... now that's a whole different story!!!!), but I'm glad they can tell the world that Futbol rules!!!!!!!</span></span></span></div><div align="left" style="-moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 50%; background-repeat: repeat repeat;"><br />
And now, ladies and gents... on with the blog!</span></span></span></div><div align="center" style="-moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%; margin-bottom: 0.2in;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 50%; background-repeat: repeat repeat;">Dissertations and Sports: A metaphor to beat the anxiety and insanity of it all</span></span></span></div><div style="-moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 50%; background-repeat: repeat repeat;">Those who know me well know that I love sports. Football (the Beatiful Game, that is) and Basketball (as well as Wrestling, but that's another story) are two sports that get my full attention all the time. I'm a connoisseur of basketball history, and football, as a South American, is pretty much in my blood. As I write this blog, I'm also working on (and sometimes struggling with) my dissertation. There are multiple ways to cope with the pressure of this stage of the Ph.D., and well I've chosen sports metaphors for that purpose. I would like to explain my metaphors, and hopefully this can inspire other fellow doc students to find their own ways to alleviate the pressure of dealing with this. You see, it all goes back to what my advisor told me when I picked up the questions for my Quals, "Have fun." She wasn't sarcastic with that, and I keep bringing those words back to my mind throughout this entire process. My use of sports analogies is a way to "have fun" with this process... I have even use mountain climbing before (May 23 blog) to explain this whole deal.<br />
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This time I'd like to explain the metaphors I'm using to make sense and actually enjoy this whole process. After all, if I make it something tedious I won't really appreciate the learning experience this entails:<br />
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1. Quals Madness. This one is inspired by the best month in sports: March Madness. For those who don't know, this is the time when the NCAA College Basketball Tournament takes place. It's a month where basketball is frantic, exciting, electric... and anything can happen. Basketball fans are glued to the TV during this time, and every game goes down to the wire. Being a basketball fan, I went for that metaphor to describe my Quals. First of all, my quals began on the Monday when the Championship game was played. Second, taking the quals has the same frantic pace, where all you think about is quals, quals, quals. Third, the excitement of handing in the questions and then passing makes you feel like a champion!<br />
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2. The Dissy World Series: Well it's late October and November... it's time for baseball to rule all things sports. And the main event in the Major Leagues, the World Series, takes place in November. What better way to pay homage to the [USA] National Pastime than by calling my preparation for the preliminary examination (prelims) after this event? Unlike March Madness, the World Series has a slower pace, best of 7 series... so there's always time to make up for your mistakes and redirect your game if you failed on your first game. And, you know the best series are the ones that go to a game 7... just as you know you'll be making the final adjustments to your proposal the night before you hand it in!<br />
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3. The Prelim Bowl: Well, in case you haven't figured this one out yet, it's named after the biggest event in American Football, the Super Bowl. Plus, my prelims will probably be at the end of January, very close to the actual date of the Super Bowl. Like the Super Bowl, it all gets decided in a few hours of full-frontal confrontation between two teams; in my case it will be Team Raul vs. Team Dissertation Committee... hopefully my team will reign supreme at the end of that one!<br />
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After that, I'll officially be a PhD candidate, or as it's commonly known, ABD (All But Dissertation)... and then we'll get on with the next event...<br />
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4. The ABD Qualifiying Tournament: This one is obviously inspired by the World Football Cup. It will take place all through 2007, kind of in a similar fashion to how the Qualifying rounds for the World Cup happen... over almost two years. Again, this will be a long process, in which you have to do small things over an extended period of time, as is the case in football, where you play one game at a time, sometimes per week or even month. So the final results are the product of a process. This process, in football or the dissy, should get you to the ultimate goal... which in my case is...<br />
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5. The Defense Championship Game: Again, I went with the Beautiful Game for this one. American Football fans may wonder why I chose the World Cup over the Super Bowl for this one. The reason is simple: As is the case with the World Cup, more people actually care about it and there's a whole lot more at stake in the defense than it is in the prelims: The prelims are the requirement to work on the dissertation, whereas the final defense is what separates you from the "Dr." title that will be attached to your name. Again, this game will face Team Raul vs. Team Committee... but this time the game will be tougher! This is the one "game" you prepare yourself four from the minute you enter the program, the one game that will change your life forever. Of course, the biggest difference is that the awards ceremony for the Defense Championship Game has to wait till May... but that's just a small detail!<br />
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One last thing: All these events will be broadcast, in High Definition, on ESPN 8, The Ocho (You need to see the movie "Dodgeball" to understand this one... sorry just rent the movie!!!)<br />
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Well, I hope you've enjoyed my blog. As I said, you learn to find multiple ways to cope with the anxiety and frustration of it all, and actually try to find some entertainment value to the whole experience. When you're in the program, it's up to you how you face it: As a cross to bear, or a one of the most interesting learning experiences you'll ever face. After all, we all have different ways to play the game... but if you're thinking about doing this, my advisor's suggestion makes a lot of sense, "have fun"... otherwise you're going to be a very bitter grad student... and that's not fun!<br />
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Till my next blog.<br />
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Raul A. (El Patron)</span></span></span></div></div></div><div dir="ltr" id="entrycns!6C5B1234E40A3C9D!150"><div style="-moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%;"><br />
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</div><div dir="ltr" id="LastMDatecns!6C5B1234E40A3C9D!150"><div style="-moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 50%; background-repeat: repeat repeat;">October 19</span></span></span></div></div><h4 style="-moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-top: 0in;"><a href="" name="subjcns!6C5B1234E40A3C9D!150"></a> <a href="http://elpatron1974.spaces.live.com/blog/cns%216C5B1234E40A3C9D%21150.entry"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 50%; background-repeat: repeat repeat;">Back to the Classroom: Blog in Fall</span></span></span></a></h4><div dir="ltr" id="msgcns!6C5B1234E40A3C9D!150"><div style="-moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 50%; background-repeat: repeat repeat;">Greetings to all my friends in the Blogosphere and the other realms of existence I dwell in. The blog is back, because sometimes I need to take a break from the anxiety of working on my dissertation. As always, first the acknowledgements: I'd like to report that my 3 ex's have read my blog... and they're still talking to me! So I guess that's good stuff. Props to my fellow Broomball pals, Hernie and Tom, broomball is a nice way to forget about the world for a couple of hours, get hurt (my students keep looking at me funny every time I come to class with another hurt limb...), and still feel happy about life! </span></span></span></div><div style="-moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 50%; background-repeat: repeat repeat;"><br />
</span></span></span></div><div style="-moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 50%; background-repeat: repeat repeat;">Well, after the acknowledgments... oh yes... get ready for...</span></span></span></div><div style="-moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 50%; background-repeat: repeat repeat;">Gratuitous Nieces Update (because my sister doesn't have a blog of her own to update you!!!!) Well, last time I checked, they're doing okay, a bit spoiled by the ridiculous amounts of love they're getting from everybody and their mother (literally!). They'll be three months old tomorrow, but they're counted as much younger than that due to something called "adjusted time", which I think means for medical purposes they treat them based on the day they were supposed to be born, not the actual day they popped in... just as long as I don't have to buy them presents for their official and adjusted birthdays... which I fear will happen sometime!</span></span></span></div><div style="-moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 50%; background-repeat: repeat repeat;">Also, I'd like to ask all my friends for their thoughts and/or prayers (whichever you choose works for me) for the speedy recovery of my dad. You see, he has a skin condition known as psoriasis, that causes him severe lacerations and wounds all over his entire body. I've seen him deal with it all my life (which made me freak out like crazy when I was 26 in fear of suffering that myself... until dad reassured me that at 26 he started with the outbreaks, and that I was fine), along with the occasional ignorance of stupid sons of b****es who ask him stupid questions or make derogatory comments. This past week his outbreak got worse than usual and he's been at the hospital for a week under observation and care. These are complicated times for my family at home, so more than your thoughts and prayers for me (which I do appreciate, make no mistake about it!) ... please extend them for my mom and my sister, who are dealing with this first-hand.</span></span></span></div><div style="-moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 50%; background-repeat: repeat repeat;">OK... now back with the blog:</span></span></span></div><div style="-moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 50%; background-repeat: repeat repeat;">Back to Teaching: The end (finally!) after a 4-year hiatus.</span></span></span></div><div style="-moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 50%; background-repeat: repeat repeat;">I've been at the U of I for over 4 years, and until now I have done research as a job here. I've loved the experience so far and I know that this will make a huge difference in my career. However, particularly after I began the Ph.D., I felt like I was missing the classroom. Granted, I've had stints in front of audiences in classroom-like situations through my work with the International Student Office and my research seminars, but it's not the same. Finally this year I had the chance to serve as TA for a course in Early Childhood. It was quite the challenge for two reasons: One, I don't have extended experience working with little children; two, the students in the education program are pretty smart, and I mean the undergrads. So working with them has been an interesting learning experience.</span></span></span></div><div style="-moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 50%; background-repeat: repeat repeat;">Have you ever heard that expression, "it's like riding a bicycle, once you learn you never forget"? Well going back to teaching does feel like it. What the expression forgets to tell you is that the first time you ride the bike after a long time, you tend to swing your bike like crazy, you have a hard time keeping balance, and sometimes you end up riding where you're not supposed to while you get the feel of the handle bar! My first class felt like that: I stuck my foot in mouth a couple of times, some of my instructions and procedures were not too clear, and I hadn't figured out some of the basics of working with my students yet. I've taught two more sessions, and I'm feeling obstensibly better. My teacher voice is coming back (for those foreign to the profession, there's such a thing as a "teacher voice", usually characterized by a slower pace in speech and sometimes slightly exaggerated pronunciation [especially when you're teaching foreign languages]), I'm feeling better in front of the class, and yes, I'm refining my ways to handle issues with my papers. </span></span></span> </div><div style="-moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 50%; background-repeat: repeat repeat;">I've also gotten a hang back of grading papers. Some of my students are surprised at how much I write on their papers. The reason is simple: It is my belief that if I assign a piece of work, I'd better read it and show evidence that I did. That in part is about RESPECTING your students. My students are very (some extremely) punctual, so that's an invitation for me to work hard and give them the best feedback I can. Plus, as I said before, these girls in my class are talented, so the least I can do is help them fine-tune their writing so they can even better. Doing less would be a DISSERVICE to them!</span></span></span></div><div style="-moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 50%; background-repeat: repeat repeat;">Teaching this course has been a learning experience twofold: On the one hand, I've learned a lot of about child development, which will come in handy as an uncle (hey, I know that my Ph.D. might come in handy when they girls are in school!) and teacher educator. Second, my students have reminded me of everything a teacher is supposed to do. For that, and even though we've got a long way to go, big THANK YOU to all of you (in that Early Childhood cohort) for your patience and insights, and even those "have a good weekend" wishes I get when they send me their assignments!</span></span></span></div><div style="-moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 50%; background-repeat: repeat repeat;">One more thing, some folks have wondered why I wear a tie to teach, being a TA and all, when sometimes their TA's and professors barely wear shoes instead of sandals. Well, you see, I'm at the College of EDUCATION. Our professors don't go to class as slackers, and neither do any of the TA's. It's a matter of moral authority and leading by example. Also, with all due respect, there's one thing that separates students in Education from everybody else: You have TA"s and Professors who happen to be (more often than not) basically INSTRUCTORS, that is they know their subject... We, on the other hand, have TA's and Professors who happen to actually be TEACHERS... and that my friends, makes a HUGE difference... Now, I'm not saying that there aren't instructors in other departments who are true teachers. The difference is, many of them become teachers by proxy.... for us this has been our life for so long that it's beyond simply a job... it's a way of life that we're proud of. </span></span></span> </div><div style="-moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 50%; background-repeat: repeat repeat;">I'll end this blog with a brief story: The other night I was out with my friends Alejandro and Maryline, when Alejandro actually called me "Teacher!" My reply was simple: He couldn't have called me anything better in life! You see, sometimes I'm addresed as "Professor" and soon enough they will as "Dr." in virtue of my degrees... I just hope that in that future, they'll also call me "TEACHER" in virtue of the passion, dedication, and excellence with which I've always intended to behave in every classroom</span></span></span><em><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 50%; background-repeat: repeat repeat;"> </span></span></em><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 50%; background-repeat: repeat repeat;">I've stepped foot on... after all, I cannot let all my students down... they wouldn't expect anything else!</span></span></span></div><div style="-moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 50%; background-repeat: repeat repeat;">Until my next blog,</span></span></span></div><div style="-moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%;"><a href="" name="blogAddComment6"></a><a href="" name="blogSendMessage6"></a><a href="" name="blogPermalink6"></a><a href="" name="blogTrackbacks6"></a><a href="" name="blogThis6"></a> <span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 50%; background-repeat: repeat repeat;">Raul A. (El Patron and a dedicated Teacher)</span></span></span></div></div></div><div dir="ltr" id="entrycns!6C5B1234E40A3C9D!149"><div style="-moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%;"><br />
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</span></div></div></div><div dir="ltr" id="entrycns!6C5B1234E40A3C9D!148"><div dir="ltr" id="LastMDatecns!6C5B1234E40A3C9D!148"><div style="-moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 50%; background-repeat: repeat repeat;">September 05</span></span></span></div></div><h4 style="-moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-top: 0in;"><a href="" name="subjcns!6C5B1234E40A3C9D!148"></a> <a href="http://elpatron1974.spaces.live.com/blog/cns%216C5B1234E40A3C9D%21148.entry"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 50%; background-repeat: repeat repeat;">Snakes on a Dissertation: Random thoughts at the end of summer!</span></span></span></a></h4><div dir="ltr" id="msgcns!6C5B1234E40A3C9D!148"><div style="-moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 50%; background-repeat: repeat repeat;">Hello again to all my fellow bloggers and readers on Facebook and around the world. Now my blog can be read by my friends at the U of I much more easily thanks to Facebook. That's cool! Before I go on with this blog's ramblings, some acknowledgements: First, to my Venezuelan friend Daniel Orellana. Thanks for your kind words on Facebook about my blog. I hope you enjoy future entries :). Finally, to my Aussie friends Down Under and all over the world, my condolences on the passing away of Steve Irwin, aka the Crocodile Hunter. I happened to watch his shows on occasion, and he was an interesting mate to watch. I can assure you, this time the crocodiles' tears are real and he will be missed! R.I.P Steve Irwin.</span></span></span></div><div style="-moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 50%; background-repeat: repeat repeat;">And now... </span></span></span> </div><div style="-moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 50%; background-repeat: repeat repeat;">Yet another gratuitous twin nieces update (just because they're 1000 times cuter and more charming than I'll ever be!)</span></span></span></div><div style="-moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 50%; background-repeat: repeat repeat;">So my twin nieces are finally home with their parents. After a month of going from the hospital to my parents' home and back, there's finally some order and peace in the Yepes-Mora household, and they can call themselves a family after so long. I was told their baptism is this coming Saturday. I'll be thinking a lot about them, particuarly this time about Isabella, my goddaughter. It's a beautiful time for my sister, and I'm really happy for her and her husband, not to mention my parents.</span></span></span></div><div style="-moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 50%; background-repeat: repeat repeat;">Now, on to my blog!</span></span></span></div><div align="center" style="-moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 50%; background-repeat: repeat repeat;">Snakes on a Dissertation, or random thoughts about school and the media!</span></span></span></div><div style="-moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 50%; background-repeat: repeat repeat;">I'd like to start by talking about the AWESOMEST movie ever: SNAKES ON A PLANE. I admit it isn't the best movie ever, but having seen the movie was one of the best cinematic experiences I've ever had. I followed the saga of SoaP and how the Internet catapulted this movie into a pop culture phenomenon. You have to realize that this is the first time that the audience has pressured a movie production company to change the script: Samuel L. Jackson was called back after production had ended to film additional footage, including the uber-famous line, "Enough is enough! I've had it with these motherf&*$ing snakes on this motherf#&ing plane!!!" The audience just went bananas when we heard it! That alone was worth the admission. From a research perspective, it was evidence that the audiences are no longer passive, and that we can create a real media revolution. We can decide what we'll watch and if we decide to watch a crappy movie, at least we'll decide what kind of crappy movie we'll watch! Eventually, this will lead to demanding more quality and better movies that really appeal to us. I'm just glad to have been part of movie history with the SoaP revolution. This, believe it or not, is the beginning of greater things... or so I think.</span></span></span></div><div style="-moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 50%; background-repeat: repeat repeat;">And here is where I pay homage to comedian Dennis Miller, and I go off on a rant about TV. Particularly about (e)M(p)T(y)V. It is a fact that MTV has long gone the ways of a guilty pleasure (that's what WWE wrestling shows are still for me) and it has regressed into the ways of what I like to call a "why the f%&* am I even watching this?" moment. Granted, there are some guilty pleasure shows, like "Pimp my Ride," but for the most part MTV shows fall withing the "why... I described earlier. Particularly their "dating" shows. There are quite a few of those, in which MTV seems to have found out the true X-factors that lead to durable, steady relationships: how clean your room is, how you get along with your date's mom on a date (I can see it now, U of I style: Take your date's mom to Kam's... if she can handle a Jager bomb, the girl is definitely a keeper!), and of course, finding your dream beau or belle as she gets off a bus! MTV has is pinned when it comes to everlasting love... Dr. Phil, you're truly a moron and Oprah should just kick you to the curb!</span></span></span></div><div style="-moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 50%; background-repeat: repeat repeat;">But today I just found the Holy Grail of dating shows. It's called "My One." The plot, very simple: Some dude (or babe, I guess) with a pathological obsession for a celebrity, decides to avoid the almost sure restraining order a judge is already preparing for them by, well attempting to find the next best thing: A girl (or guy) who shares the same pathological obsession for said celebrity and agrees to be this celebrity's doppelganger (or clone, if you will) to be in a very steady and should I add very healthy relationship (sure, and Charlie Manson was a pretty normal guy too!).</span></span></span></div><div style="-moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 50%; background-repeat: repeat repeat;">I agree that dating, at least in college/grad school, may be tough, but COME ON! I can't buy the idea that someone has so little to offer that they're willing to pretend to be someone else to find a guy/girl. I just got two words for those who participate on this show: COUNSELING SESSIONS!!!!!!! And massive amounts of self-esteem might not hurt.</span></span></span></div><div style="-moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 50%; background-repeat: repeat repeat;">That was my rant of the week, and paraphrasing Dennis Miller: That's my opinion, and I can't be wrong!</span></span></span></div><div style="-moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 50%; background-repeat: repeat repeat;">On a completely different subject, school is finally in motion. The coffee shops and libraries are again teeming with the excitement of reading sessions and conversations of different kinds. I am excited to be back in the classroom. I met my students last week, and they're already e-mailing me with questions. This weekend I'll return to that ancient ritual called grading. After a four-year hiatus from the action of the classroooms, I'm excited to get my teaching muscle back into shape. This class has to do with early childhood development. I'm not very knowledgeable of the subject, but with two nieces day care-bound in a few months, these lessons I'll learn might come in handy. So, to me, welcome back to the classroom, Raul. You were badly missed and you missed the classroom as well :)</span></span></span></div><div style="-moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 50%; background-repeat: repeat repeat;">I've also set in motion the writing of my early drafts of my dissy proposal. In 10 days I'll let you know how that's shaping up. I'm excited about this. This whole year looks to be a great learning experience, and I can't wait to see what comes out of all this :)</span></span></span></div><div style="-moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 50%; background-repeat: repeat repeat;">Well, take care and I'll be back with more of my blog soon. Till next time,</span></span></span></div><div style="-moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%;"><a href="" name="blogAddComment8"></a><a href="" name="blogSendMessage8"></a><a href="" name="blogPermalink8"></a><a href="" name="blogTrackbacks8"></a><a href="" name="blogThis8"></a> <span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 50%; background-repeat: repeat repeat;">Raul A. (El Patron)</span></span></span></div></div></div><div dir="ltr" id="entrycns!6C5B1234E40A3C9D!146"><div style="-moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%;"><br />
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</div><div dir="ltr" id="LastMDatecns!6C5B1234E40A3C9D!146"><div style="-moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 50%; background-repeat: repeat repeat;">August 13</span></span></span></div></div><h4 style="-moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-top: 0in;"><a href="" name="subjcns!6C5B1234E40A3C9D!146"></a> <a href="http://elpatron1974.spaces.live.com/blog/cns%216C5B1234E40A3C9D%21146.entry"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 50%; background-repeat: repeat repeat;">Back in the Cornfields: The blog returns with a vengeance!</span></span></span></a></h4><div dir="ltr" id="msgcns!6C5B1234E40A3C9D!146"><div style="-moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 50%; background-repeat: repeat repeat;">Greetings to all my fellow readers and friends all over the world. After a very refreshing summer vacation, I'm back in lovely Chambana to continue my doctoral studies and start to work on my "dissy" (aka my dissertation)... but not full throttle yet. I've first got to do my two-week tour of duty with the International Student office during check-in period. You see, every international student that makes it to the U of I has to have a mandatory check-in session. I lead some of those and according to everybody, I'm pretty good at it... I guess that's what it means to be called "the man" or "the guru" (hey, at least this time someone else said it, unlike the time when I proclaimed myself the "grammar guru of the Colombo" in Medellin)... it's a very intense gig but I love it. It reminds me of my teaching days and it allows me to meet a lot of fellow international students.</span></span></span></div><div style="-moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 50%; background-repeat: repeat repeat;">*Gratuitous twin nieces update* I just spoke to my sister. The twins have to go back to the hospital due to a sudden setback. However, my sister reported they're gaining weight and looking very pretty (of course they do, they take after their mother and not their uncle... but that little fact also makes me fear that they may have a massive temper!). Once I hear more from Colombia, I'll keep the crowd posted</span></span></span></div><div style="-moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 50%; background-repeat: repeat repeat;">Since we're talking about international students, I imagine you've all read the news about the terrorist plot in the UK and how that has affected travelers to the U.S. I think that's horrible and it's sad to know that they have limitations on carry-on luggage. I think of all travelers, students are the most benefited by carry-on luggage. After all, who wants to send their books and laptops with everything else? Unfortunately, that's the way of the world now. I hope any of you fellas coming here won't have too much of a hard time on your trip, and that all of you coming to schools here have a very safe trip. My prayers go with anyone traveling by plane these days, regardless of the destination.</span></span></span></div><div style="-moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 50%; background-repeat: repeat repeat;">My prayers and thoughts are also with those innocent casualties of the situation in Israel and Lebanon. I have friends from both countries, in particular some very good friends from Lebanon. I haven't stopped thinking about them and their families, hoping they're safe from harm, or any other civilian in these countries for that matter. Unfortunately, history has taught us one thing: Governments are the ones waging the wars and the people they're supposed to stand for are the ones paying the bill at a very expensive price: Their own lives. At least back in the day when there was a battle the kings were front and center in the battlefield. These modern-day "kings" we call presidents are the first to flee the battlefield! So, regardless of religion or beliefs, my thoughts, prayers, and even tears go with the civilian lives we're losing in Israel and Lebanon. ANY human life we lose is priceless, and God and Allah would probably agree with that! Too bad those who use their names to justify their causes don't seem to see it that way.</span></span></span></div><div style="-moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 50%; background-repeat: repeat repeat;">Now that I got that off my chest, on to a lighter topic. As I said, this blog wishes to document different aspects of life in graduate school. Tonight I'd like to retake an issue I touched on my May 1 entry. So without any further ado (not adieu please!!!!!!), yet another entry about my take on graduate school...</span></span></span></div><div align="center" style="-moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 50%; background-repeat: repeat repeat;">Graduate School: The other half of the "real world"? </span></span></span> </div><div align="left" style="-moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 50%; background-repeat: repeat repeat;">Before I start my discussion, here's a list of antonyms of the word "real":</span></span></span></div><div align="left" style="-moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 50%; background-repeat: repeat repeat;">dreamed(prenominal); fabled; fabricated, fancied, fictional, fictitious, invented, made-up; mythic, mythical, mythologic, mythological; fanciful, imaginary, imagined, notional; fantastic, fantastical; hallucinatory; illusional, illusionary; make-believe, play(prenominal), pretend (Source: Synonym.com)</span></span></span></div><div align="left" style="-moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 50%; background-repeat: repeat repeat;">As Chris Rock said in one of his comedy shows, "I'm tired, tired, tired..." of this idea that you finish grad school and return to "the Real World." Quite frankly, that's offensive at worst, patronizing at best. That has been a historical view of graduate school, where students are detached from reality or go to school to escape facing the reality of having a "real" job. Granted, these days it's better seen to be in graduate school (that I'll deal with in another entry), but the idea of the "real world" as being "out there" and off campus still permeates the psyches of master's and doctoral students alike. I would like to propose a different view, though: That grad school (and college at large) is an actual part of the world, and it's as real as having a 9-to-5 job. In fact, I would argue that there are parts of it that make grad school even more difficult than that "real world."</span></span></span></div><div align="left" style="-moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 50%; background-repeat: repeat repeat;">What folks sometimes don't understand is the fact that we made a CHOICE to be here. Nobody forced us to pursue a Ph.D. Granted we may have been lured (the Ph.D. bug, remember?), but ultimately it was our decision to stay here. Since it was our choice, we are aware of the actual sacrifices we're making. I talked about a few of those when I discussed the intangibles of the program (May 3 blog). There's also the fact that we're willingly taking a pay cut from our original jobs when we took this new job of being a student/teacher/researcher/etc. in hope of some kind of retribution once we graduate. In fact, I know that many people don't consider going to grad school because they don't want to take that pay cut. I don't see anything imaginary, hallucinatory, fictitious, etc. about these decisions, do you?</span></span></span></div><div align="left" style="-moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 50%; background-repeat: repeat repeat;">In addition, we're enrolled as </span></span></span><em><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 50%; background-repeat: repeat repeat;">full-time</span></span></span></em><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 50%; background-repeat: repeat repeat;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 50%; background-repeat: repeat repeat;">students with a </span></span></span><em><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 50%; background-repeat: repeat repeat;">part-time </span></span></span></em><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 50%; background-repeat: repeat repeat;">job, and that's just those of us who are single. How about those master's and doc students who are also parents? There's a lifetime job for you right there! Last time I checked, their kids were real... no imaginary friends here! On top of this, our job has a curious detail: It basically has no schedule! You see, since we can study whenever we want, that means that we're usually studying most of the day and night. Those who have other lines of work (with the exception of teachers, maybe physicians and law enforcement people) know that once you punch the clock you forget about your work for the day. An open schedule means you usually end up working all the time. And believe me, I see people whose "office" is a coffee shop coming very punctual at 9 am and leaving at 11 pm every day. That was my case during Quals, for instance, and will most likely be during dissy writing.</span></span></span></div><div align="left" style="-moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 50%; background-repeat: repeat repeat;">Granted, we don't have to worry about the daily commute to work or rush hour and the heavy traffic, but our line of work includes meetings, and different tasks to complete (with dire consequences should we neglect them). It's also true that our "dress code" is pretty much nonexistent (sometimes I think the only rule at the university for students is "don't show up to class or work naked"), but I can assure you that we make a ginormous (ginormous = gigantic + enormous) contribution to the coffee industry... man does Juan Valdez love college and graduate students, I'm surprised he's never been invited as a guest speaker at a commencement (U of Illinois President Joe White, I kindly offer Juan Valdez as my proposed speaker for the Class of 2008 Commencement, in case you ever read my blog, Sir!). We also have to write reports for work in which we discuss the progress of the projects and duties we're involved in, we just call them papers! And on top of that, we need to read a whole lot more in this job than we maybe had to in our previous jobs. Further, we also have to pay taxes as everybody else does (sorry, no make-believe taxes for students here) and everything we buy we need to use actual dollars. Sorry, Andrew Jackson, not Uncle Scrooge McDuck, appears on my 20-dollar bills too!</span></span></span></div><div align="left" style="-moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 50%; background-repeat: repeat repeat;">The point is, graduate school is a smaller portion of the world, as real as having a regular job. We also face regular dilemmas as everybody else, and we need to work very hard to earn our pay and our degrees. I tried to show some similarities and even some of the disadvantages we might face when compared to those with a 9-to-5 job. So, next time you think we're not part of the "real world," think again: Our life here is very real and so are our problems... as are yours. </span></span></span> </div><div align="left" style="-moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 50%; background-repeat: repeat repeat;">Until my next blog... Peace to you all around the globe, and may you be kept safe from harm, wherever you are.</span></span></span></div><div align="left" style="-moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 50%; background-repeat: repeat repeat;">Raul A. (El Patron)</span></span></span></div></div></div><div dir="ltr" id="entrycns!6C5B1234E40A3C9D!145"><div style="-moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%;"><br />
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</div><div dir="ltr" id="LastMDatecns!6C5B1234E40A3C9D!145"><div style="-moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 50%; background-repeat: repeat repeat;">July 02</span></span></span></div></div><h4 style="-moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-top: 0in;"><a href="" name="subjcns!6C5B1234E40A3C9D!145"></a> <a href="http://elpatron1974.spaces.live.com/blog/cns%216C5B1234E40A3C9D%21145.entry"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 50%; background-repeat: repeat repeat;">Back in Colombia I: It's good to be here!</span></span></span></a></h4><div dir="ltr" id="msgcns!6C5B1234E40A3C9D!145"><div style="-moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 50%; background-repeat: repeat repeat;">Greetings to all my fellow bloggers around the world. My apologies for the lack of updates, but it's been hard to write lately. I've finally got some time to sit down and blog, so here it goes!</span></span></span></div><div style="-moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 50%; background-repeat: repeat repeat;">My thanks to all my friends for their prayers and support during last week. For those who don't know, my sister gave us a scare with the twins. It seems that they were ready for arrival long before expected, and my sister didn't feel well at all. She was at the hospital till Friday afternoon. However, there's a chance that I'll see the girls born while I'm here. I'll keep you all posted.</span></span></span></div><div style="-moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 50%; background-repeat: repeat repeat;">Now, on to my blog!</span></span></span></div><div style="-moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 50%; background-repeat: repeat repeat;">1. Back home: Mixed emotions</span></span></span></div><div style="-moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 50%; background-repeat: repeat repeat;">I arrived in Medellin on the evening of June 14. It was pretty awesome to see my folks and my rather big sister. It's been two years and I've missed them a lot. So seeing their faces when I was walking to baggage claim is always a refreshing sight. It reminds me that it's good to be home. I've spent a lot of time with my parents especially, and I've had plenty of conversations with them about life at large and where I stand in this city. </span></span></span> </div><div style="-moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 50%; background-repeat: repeat repeat;">You see, a lot of my friends here are already married or have moved on elsewhere, so it's hard to keep track of them, let alone hang out with them. I've also had mixed feelings trying to do </span></span></span><em><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 50%; background-repeat: repeat repeat;">exactly </span></span></span></em><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 50%; background-repeat: repeat repeat;">the same things I used to do circa 2000. It's been tough to realize the city has changed at a pace I didn't notice, and that the city might not be the same familiar place it used to be. That, I believe, is yet another intangible of doing my Ph.D. - The city and I have changed at different rates. I guess that's something else Fulbright didn't prepare me for. I hope someone can take notes and help other international students face re-entry. That's an area where noone gets you totally ready for.</span></span></span></div><div style="-moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 50%; background-repeat: repeat repeat;">Things have been fine, nonetheless. A lot of my old friends are happy to see me again, and many rejoice at my success. It's good to know that some places still accept me as one of them, and for that I thank all the folks there. </span></span></span> </div><div style="-moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 50%; background-repeat: repeat repeat;">2. Embracing the scholar I'm about to become.</span></span></span></div><div style="-moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 50%; background-repeat: repeat repeat;">Grad school teaches you to think scholarly, to write scholarly, to speak scholarly. However, sometimes that preparation falls short when it comes to learning to be scholarly </span></span></span><em><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 50%; background-repeat: repeat repeat;">outside of the university.</span></span></span></em><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 50%; background-repeat: repeat repeat;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 50%; background-repeat: repeat repeat;">For international students. that's a reality we have to embrace. This trip has been a turning point in that scholarship process. It's been a source of mixed feelings. In the words of Jakob Dylan, "Man I ain't changed, but I know I ain't the same." That's what this feels like sometimes. I've learned, however, that I don't need to be any different to people who know me. People will respect what you've done and you don't have to toot your own horn. </span></span></span> </div><div style="-moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 50%; background-repeat: repeat repeat;">This trip has brought some interesting surprises in that regard: In addition to the two seminars I'll teach in Bogota (the one here in Medellin got cancelled due to low registration) and some workshops at this place I used to work for, my first Alma Mater (U of I being the 2nd) invited me to be the keynote speaker at their inaugural lecture for the 2nd semester of 2006. I was also invited as a guest for a radio show for outstanding alumni (me? that was my reaction) to be broadcast on July 23. Finally, I was invited as guest speaker for some conversations with students and faculty at my alma mater and a college I used to teach. It's quite the honor, but quite frankly I haven't let it get over my head... after all when I get back I still need to work on my dissertation and that alone (if not my advisor and faculty) will bring me back to earth. I feel happy that what I've done so far is recognized, but I also know that more might be expected of me after graduation, so that makes things even more challenging and gives me plenty of things to look forward to for the next two years and beyond!</span></span></span></div><div style="-moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 50%; background-repeat: repeat repeat;">3. The tastes and colors of Medellin</span></span></span></div><div style="-moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 50%; background-repeat: repeat repeat;">I haven't had much of a chance to go out around town with my sister's stuff and some errands I've had to run. But I plan to do something about it in the next two weeks. However, today, out of sheer serendipity, I had an interesting experience. I was at my sister's apartment and I went out to buy some mangoes for my mom at the corner. Yes, you heard it right, the corner! Here you can buy fruit on a street corner. On my way out, I remembered my sister had a craving for something we call "obleas," kind of a round wafer, pretty thin. You eat two of those with jelly, condensed milk, and other sweet stuff. Anyway, I decided to go to the neighborhood square to find the aforementioned obleas. It was a nice experience to sit down for a few minutes while this old man prepared three obleas to take back and watch the people have fun and walk around the square. There were folks selling fruit, hot dogs, hamburgers, arepas, etc. I guess that's one of the beauties of this place: being able to sit down on this neighborhood square and have a meal. It was refreshing and I think I'll go out and sit down in some of these places around Medellin to relax. That, my friends, will be the subject of future blogs!</span></span></span></div><div style="-moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 50%; background-repeat: repeat repeat;">Till next time. Have a good summer and a Happy Fourth of July to my U.S. friends. </span></span></span> </div><div style="-moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%;"><a href="" name="blogAddComment10"></a><a href="" name="blogSendMessage10"></a><a href="" name="blogPermalink10"></a><a href="" name="blogTrackbacks10"></a><a href="" name="blogThis10"></a> <span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 50%; background-repeat: repeat repeat;">Raul A. (El Patrón)</span></span></span></div></div></div><div dir="ltr" id="entrycns!6C5B1234E40A3C9D!144"><div style="-moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%;"><br />
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</div><div dir="ltr" id="LastMDatecns!6C5B1234E40A3C9D!144"><div style="-moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 50%; background-repeat: repeat repeat;">May 23</span></span></span></div></div><h4 style="-moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-top: 0in;"><a href="" name="subjcns!6C5B1234E40A3C9D!144"></a> <a href="http://elpatron1974.spaces.live.com/blog/cns%216C5B1234E40A3C9D%21144.entry"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 50%; background-repeat: repeat repeat;">Blog: Birthday Edition</span></span></span></a></h4><div dir="ltr" id="msgcns!6C5B1234E40A3C9D!144"><div style="-moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 50%; background-repeat: repeat repeat;">Greetings to all my friends and fellow bloggers. Since today's my birthday, I decided to blog as part of the celebration. Day's gone well so far, I've had presents, cake, and calls and messages from friends and family, so that's cool. I also passed my quals (yay!) so there's plenty to celebrate about tonight! For my friends in Colombia, mark your calendars, I'll be there on June 14. Hope to be able to see a lot of you on my visit.</span></span></span></div><div style="-moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 50%; background-repeat: repeat repeat;">Now, on to my blog!</span></span></span></div><div align="center" style="-moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 50%; background-repeat: repeat repeat;">If 30 is the new 20, and 50 the new 30, I guess turning 32 ain't that bad!</span></span></span></div><div align="left" style="-moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 50%; background-repeat: repeat repeat;">So I turn 32 today... I guess if I were an athlete I'd be near the end of my career or thinking about putting massive amounts of chemicals in my body so I could hit 715 home runs... or something along those lines. But I'm in the academia, and it seems that being in one's 30s is a pretty good age. Heck, it seems that 30s is a good age to be these days. I'm having a good time, and my life seems to be </span></span></span><em><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 50%; background-repeat: repeat repeat;">finally </span></span></span></em><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 50%; background-repeat: repeat repeat;">having a sense of direction. I have a lot to look forward to at this point in my life and plenty of things to do.</span></span></span></div><div align="left" style="-moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 50%; background-repeat: repeat repeat;">Of course, there's the flip side: There is so much I still have to figure out. I mean, most of my friends are already married and some with children, even my sister is. But as I mentioned in my</span></span></span><em><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 50%; background-repeat: repeat repeat;"> </span></span></em><em><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 50%; background-repeat: repeat repeat;">intangibles </span></span></span></em><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 50%; background-repeat: repeat repeat;">blog, that comes with the territory. There's one interesting thing about grad school, it gives you a different sense of timing and what it takes to get it all done. But, I feel like I've accomplihed enough by 32 and I feel that the challenges ahead of me will keep me active and energized for the next 30 years... something else to look forward to!</span></span></span></div><div align="center" style="-moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 50%; background-repeat: repeat repeat;">The process of climbing my own "Everest": The path towards graduation</span></span></span></div><div align="left" style="-moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 50%; background-repeat: repeat repeat;">If you read enough about my quals saga, you must imagine that I'm very excited about reaching this milestone. And if you plan to be a grad student in the future, know this: Every step you reach is to be celebrated, but the aftermath is always this "oh, crap!" feeling tied to it. You see, when I finished my master's, I was excited on graduation day... the next day it dawned on me, "oh, crap! Now I'm a doctoral student!" Now that I passed my quals, the elation of it all also brings the "oh, crap! Now I have to start to work on my dissertation!" It's because of these mixed emotions that I came up with the "Everest" metaphor. So, bear with me as I explain it:</span></span></span></div><div align="left" style="-moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 50%; background-repeat: repeat repeat;">In the academic world, getting a Ph.D. is the highest you can reach as far as titles are concerned. In this mountainous metaphor, getting your bachelor's is like climbing the Kilimanjaro or Mt. McKinley... a tough climb within reach of most. A master's would be like the Aconcagua... a bit tougher and a great accomplishment for those who are not so crazy or extreme. The Ph.D. would actually be like climbing the Everest: It's the highest and only a very [crazy] few are willing to take their chances. Now, I know that people may die climibing the Everest, but to some, failure in the PhD may be close to academic death, especially for international students. </span></span></span> </div><div align="left" style="-moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 50%; background-repeat: repeat repeat;">There are other similarities that this metaphor provides: Like climbing the Everest, one cannot reach the summit in one day. There are steps to follow, in a similar way as a climber progresses through the camps and takes some time in each of them to rest, regroup, and move on. Fulfilling the basic requirements (courses, research evidence, etc) is like going through the first camps in your climb. The quals would be like making it to Camp III, and the Prelims, that would be Camp IV. The process of collecting data and writing, well that's like getting ready to reach the summit, which would be the defense. Once you defend, well, you've reached the summit and it's time to get ready for the "descent," which means getting ready to leave the mountain and on to other things.</span></span></span></div><div align="left" style="-moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 50%; background-repeat: repeat repeat;">Of course, no climber would try to reach Mt. Everest as their first mountain. That's where the smaller mountains come in handy. They prepare you for what lies ahead. Same goes with the Ph.D. No one would expect you to go for a Ph.D. right after high school! Bachelor's and Master's degrees are good tests of whether it is the right thing for you. Trust me, some people can be very successful and happy without going all the way. But if you are planning to climb the "academic Everest", be aware that it will be long, full of challenges, and every step you reach only means that there's another ahead. It also means you're closer to your prize, so rejoice with every single accomplishment. Trust me, I'm happy as hell for passing my quals. Now I'm looking forward to the rest of my "climb".</span></span></span></div><div align="left" style="-moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 50%; background-repeat: repeat repeat;">Till next time, enjoy your summer!</span></span></span></div><div align="left" style="-moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%;"><a href="" name="blogAddComment11"></a><a href="" name="blogSendMessage11"></a><a href="" name="blogPermalink11"></a><a href="" name="blogTrackbacks11"></a><a href="" name="blogThis11"></a> <span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 50%; background-repeat: repeat repeat;">Raul A. (El Patron)</span></span></span></div></div></div><div dir="ltr" id="entrycns!6C5B1234E40A3C9D!143"><div style="-moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%;"><br />
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</div><div dir="ltr" id="LastMDatecns!6C5B1234E40A3C9D!143"><div style="-moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 50%; background-repeat: repeat repeat;">May 16</span></span></span></div></div><h4 style="-moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-top: 0in;"><a href="" name="subjcns!6C5B1234E40A3C9D!143"></a> <a href="http://elpatron1974.spaces.live.com/blog/cns%216C5B1234E40A3C9D%21143.entry"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 50%; background-repeat: repeat repeat;">Summer's Here: Welcome to Campus Ghost Town</span></span></span></a></h4><div dir="ltr" id="msgcns!6C5B1234E40A3C9D!143"><div style="-moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 50%; background-repeat: repeat repeat;">Once again, hello to all my friends in the Blogosphere. First, some announcements: I already bought my plane tickets and I'll be going to Colombia in less than a month!!!! It is official, I'll be in Medellin on June 14 in the evening! I'm excited about that, and I'm looking forward to seeing my folks, my sister, and all my friends once again. I'm also looking forward to teaching the seminars in Medellin and Bogota. I'll keep you posted on how that works out. [The umbrella is to keep me dry, it's been raining like crazy in Illinois. The weather has been more erratic than usual, which for Illinois' case, it's pretty scary!] </span></span></span> </div><div style="-moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 50%; background-repeat: repeat repeat;">There are some changes for next year. After four years of working as a research assistant (RA), I'll get to be a Teaching Assistant (TA) next year. I'm very excited about this opportunity to work with preservice teachers. I haven't been in a classroom since I left Colombia, and I'm missing the action in the classroom. Of course, my blog will also report on my experiences as a TA. Also, for those who don't know yet, I have a new girlfriend! She lives in Champaign, so that's a nice change of pace. Things are looking good between us, and she's really nice also. I guess I'll have a lot of explaining to do when I'm in Medellin so bring it on!</span></span></span></div><div style="-moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 50%; background-repeat: repeat repeat;">And now, on to the blog!</span></span></span></div><div align="center" style="-moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 50%; background-repeat: repeat repeat;">Summer: Campus Gone Mild!</span></span></span></div><div align="left" style="-moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 50%; background-repeat: repeat repeat;">As I've reported on previous blogs, life on a college campus can be anything but simple or quiet. There's always motion, energy, excitement, and lots of coffee/energy drinks to sustain the intensity of work during the semesters. From the first day of class till the last final, you'll find coffee shops and bars alike full of people. There are always people walking all over campus, and you can tell there's something going on all over the place... and then there's Summer. You see, most undergrads pretty much leave campus the weekend after finals and many don't come back until the weekend before classes begin. All the exchange students return to their home countries and a few graduate students can afford to go home. That leaves a very few that have to stay on campus for the summer. If fall and spring semesters are life on 5th gear, summer is definitely life on 1st gear. You can tell summer's here the morning after graduation. Bus routes are reduced (here at the U of I, for instance, all campus routes shut down for the summer), library hours are shortened, and even coffee shops close earlier. Some businesses close down for the summer to save money, and those who open are well aware that things will be slow. Even night time is slower: Bars aren't crowded during the summer. Also, finding what courses to take may be tough: There aren't that many choices available for you so be prepared.</span></span></span></div><div align="left" style="-moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 50%; background-repeat: repeat repeat;">Now, staying on campus for the summer is not necessarily a bad thing. Many people like to enjoy the slower pace of campus to get some of their work done. After all, access to computer labs and libraries is easier and you'll always find a spot to work at your favorite coffee shop. Also, night life may be less crowded, but sometimes it's cheaper. Some bars like to offer special deals for the summer, like happy hours. In addition, by now all bars have opened their beer gardens, so provided it's not raining, you can always sit outside and enjoy the long, sunny summer afternoons and have a drink with a friend at a cheaper price than it would cost during the school year. </span></span></span> </div><div align="left" style="-moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 50%; background-repeat: repeat repeat;">Also, you can take a summer job. If you're an international student, there's a provision in your visa that allows you to work </span></span></span><em><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 50%; background-repeat: repeat repeat;">anywhere on campus </span></span></span></em><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 50%; background-repeat: repeat repeat;">full time (up to 40 hours a week), as opposed to the school year, when you can only work 20 hours a week. In fact, whether you have summer funding or not, some people like to take summer jobs to help pay their bills and even save some for a small vacation. That's an option that you should consider. Summer jobs have an advantage over your academic jobs in the school year: They're easier and sometimes can be pretty fun. However, be aware that pay might be less than what you make as a TA or research assistant. But, unlike some of your research jobs, some of them involve working with people on a regular basis and they can be fun. Last summer, for instance, I worked as a desk clerk at a graduate student dorm (Sherman Hall) and it was entertaining. I got to meet a lot of people and made friends, although working from 11 pm to 7 am (the Vampire Shift as I like to call it) can be exhausting. </span></span></span> </div><div align="left" style="-moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 50%; background-repeat: repeat repeat;">Well, this is all for now. I'll see some of you within a month when I visit Medellin (I'll also blog from there so stick around) and for the others, Have a great summer, no matter where you'll be!</span></span></span></div><div align="left" style="-moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%;"><a href="" name="blogAddComment12"></a><a href="" name="blogSendMessage12"></a><a href="" name="blogPermalink12"></a><a href="" name="blogTrackbacks12"></a><a href="" name="blogThis12"></a> <span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 50%; background-repeat: repeat repeat;">Raul A. (El Patron)</span></span></span></div></div></div><div dir="ltr" id="entrycns!6C5B1234E40A3C9D!141"><div style="-moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%;"><br />
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</div><div dir="ltr" id="LastMDatecns!6C5B1234E40A3C9D!141"><div style="-moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 50%; background-repeat: repeat repeat;">May 10</span></span></span></div></div><h4 style="-moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-top: 0in;"><a href="" name="subjcns!6C5B1234E40A3C9D!141"></a> <a href="http://elpatron1974.spaces.live.com/blog/cns%216C5B1234E40A3C9D%21141.entry"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 50%; background-repeat: repeat repeat;">Grad School and the Eternal Quest for Free Food!</span></span></span></a></h4><div dir="ltr" id="msgcns!6C5B1234E40A3C9D!141"><div style="-moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 50%; background-repeat: repeat repeat;">Greetings to all my fellow readers. The sun is just a reminder that spring is finally in Illinois, which can only mean one thing: We're still not sure what the weather is going to be like tomorrow. As always, time for the acknowledgements: To my friends from the Class of 2006, Congratulations and carry on in your endeavors, be it the doctoral program, work, or leaving Chambana, best of luck. Also, remember to share your feedback with me, and future topics are always welcome.</span></span></span></div><div style="-moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 50%; background-repeat: repeat repeat;">As I've said before, this blog covers aspects of my life in Champaign-Urbana as a doctoral student; some rather serious, some more trivial, but all of them make part of grad school life. So, without any further ado... this week's blog:</span></span></span></div><div align="center" style="-moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 50%; background-repeat: repeat repeat;">Grad School: The Eternal Quest for Free Food!</span></span></span></div><div align="left" style="-moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 50%; background-repeat: repeat repeat;">There are many similarities among graduate students, whether they go to Research I universities or not. One is that graduate students are usually very talented and driven to succeed, they are usually some of the best and brightest in their fields, and all want to graduate sometime in the future, hopefully while they can still walk without a cane! There's another trait that unites us all: Most of us make enough money not so much to live but to </span></span></span><em><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 50%; background-repeat: repeat repeat;">survive</span></span></span></em><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 50%; background-repeat: repeat repeat;">... no joke there. You can live decently with the stipends, but you won't be buying that BMW anytime soon or eating lobster every Sunday. So, under these circumstances, seasoned graduate students develop one of the main survival skills they'll need during their tenure: Securing </span></span></span><em><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 50%; background-repeat: repeat repeat;">Free Food</span></span></span></em><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 50%; background-repeat: repeat repeat;">!!!!!!</span></span></span></div><div align="left" style="-moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 50%; background-repeat: repeat repeat;">Now, it is a fact that grad students like free food. And pretty much everybody on campus is in the loop. Your advisor knows that, and so do the other faculty. In fact, you'd be surprised to find that some of them </span></span></span><em><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 50%; background-repeat: repeat repeat;">encourage </span></span></span></em><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 50%; background-repeat: repeat repeat;">you to take the food home with you (Dr. Harris, it's you I'm talking about... and the shrimp was delicious!!!!). If they like you enough, they'll make sure you can take it, even leave it somewhere for you. The bottom line is, they also know what it's like to be a grad student and they want you to feed... so you won't faint while working on your quals (I said they were nice, not that they didn't have ulterior motives!)</span></span></span></div><div align="left" style="-moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 50%; background-repeat: repeat repeat;">Now, the issue is, where can I find that food? Here's two places where you can start:</span></span></span></div><div align="left" style="-moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 50%; background-repeat: repeat repeat;">1. Professional seminars in your department/college: Usually colleges host research or professional seminars, where guest speakers or faculty share their research. Aside from the food, this is a very important opportunity to find out what your professors are up to. If you remember my previous blogs, I've said that in Research I universities you can find top-notch scholars. You may want to meet them and these are good opportunities. Also, there's always refreshments! In the case of a guest speaker, sometimes they also have a reception that attendants to the session are welcome to attend. Ergo... more food for you! And you network. Show them that you're hungry for knowledge, not just for food!</span></span></span></div><div align="left" style="-moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 50%; background-repeat: repeat repeat;">In fact, any professional event hosted by the university or any college is always a good catch. Remember: Sometimes you also want to learn what those folks all over campus are up to while you have a snack.</span></span></span></div><div align="left" style="-moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 50%; background-repeat: repeat repeat;">2. Potlucks: If you're in a nice department or college (like Education), they hold potlucks from time to time. The nice thing about potlucks is that there is plenty of food. You may have to bring something, but it's worth it. You see, faculty attend them, and that only means good food. Also, those married doc students always cook something good. So, do buy that bucket of chicken, you'll be having a lot of food to go with that wing.</span></span></span></div><div align="left" style="-moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 50%; background-repeat: repeat repeat;">Sometimes you might be lucky enough that you can take stuff home with you. If you can, go for it. The bottom line is, if you don't take it home, they'll throw it away anyways. So better in your fridge than in the trash can, right? Don't be afraid to ask, and if you feel a little embarrassed, then have a professor hook you up... you get less funny looks if a Full Professor asks for you. I've done it before, and as I said above, those shrimp were delicious... those who've had a bagful of shrimp for dinner lately raise your hand... just what I thought, I rest my case!</span></span></span></div><div align="left" style="-moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 50%; background-repeat: repeat repeat;">So, what have we learned today about finding free food: (a) Everybody knows that you're there for it. (b) Just make sure that's not </span></span></span><em><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 50%; background-repeat: repeat repeat;">the only reason</span></span></span></em><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 50%; background-repeat: repeat repeat;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 50%; background-repeat: repeat repeat;">why you're there; get to meet people, mingle, meet the faculty or guest speaker. You might get something more useful than tonight's dinner in the long run. (c) Use free food to learn about your university and educate yourself while securing lunch.</span></span></span></div><div align="left" style="-moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 50%; background-repeat: repeat repeat;">That's all for now. I'll be back with more blogs soon.</span></span></span></div><div style="-moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 50%; background-repeat: repeat repeat;">Raul A. (El Patron)</span></span></span></div></div></div><div dir="ltr" id="entrycns!6C5B1234E40A3C9D!135"><div style="-moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%;"><br />
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</div><div dir="ltr" id="LastMDatecns!6C5B1234E40A3C9D!135"><div style="-moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 50%; background-repeat: repeat repeat;">May 03</span></span></span></div></div><h4 style="-moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-top: 0in;"><a href="" name="subjcns!6C5B1234E40A3C9D!135"></a> <a href="http://elpatron1974.spaces.live.com/blog/cns%216C5B1234E40A3C9D%21135.entry"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 50%; background-repeat: repeat repeat;">PhD's: Inevitable and expensive?</span></span></span></a></h4><div dir="ltr" id="msgcns!6C5B1234E40A3C9D!135"><div style="-moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 50%; background-repeat: repeat repeat;">Greetings once again to all those who've been kind enough to read the blog. As always, acknowledgments: Thanks to my friend, colleague, and former boss Lai Yin Shem in Medellin. I appreciate your comments and yes, surviving and thriving can be tough but interesting. Also, thanks to Marco in Medellin, I hope I didn't scare the bejesus out of you with the reading thing. I'll return to the reading issue and other academic stuff in future blogs.</span></span></span></div><div style="-moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 50%; background-repeat: repeat repeat;">So I got an e-mail today from one journal that I serve as Editorial Board Member for. Aside from the excitement that this journal (PROFILE) is now indexed, the message made me smile yet again, as does any message addressed to "Dr." Raul A. Mora. I guess it gives me something to look forward to... being a real Dr. someday (by the way - rant alert - PhD's are REAL doctors too... we may not be physicians but we also have to bust our chops for several years!!!!!)</span></span></span></div><div style="-moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 50%; background-repeat: repeat repeat;">Now on to the blog: This week's blog, let me warn you, is both very funny and kind of serious, so handle with care.</span></span></span></div><div style="-moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 50%; background-repeat: repeat repeat;">1. "Resistance [will be] futile!" Or what to do when the Ph.D. bug bites.</span></span></span></div><div style="-moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 50%; background-repeat: repeat repeat;">Those who know my trajectory well enough know that I arrived in Illinois in 2002, as a Fulbright student, to pursue a master's in education and "maybe" find academic training or "maybe" do my Ph.D. One of the unmentioned shenanigans of Research I universities (see May 1 blog) is the existence of this bug called the "Ph.D. bug." And unless you have vaccinated yourself against it (i.e. convinced yourself that there is no chance in hell I'll do one of those, or be in Law school or an MBA program), it WILL bite you. It's futile, don't say that you won't, that a Ph.D. is not for you. If you're in a Research I, it will bite you. And, if you're a Fulbrighter, you're doomed. Fulbright master's students are the biggest targets of the bug... ask me and a lot of my friends at the U of I. I think the score so far is: U of I Ph.D.: 150 Fulbright MA Students: 0!</span></span></span></div><div style="-moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 50%; background-repeat: repeat repeat;">But how does the bug work? You see, one of the interesting facts about Research I universities is that in some classes, master's and doctoral students can be together. There are classes restricted to master's, and restricted doctoral seminars, but you can find either in those. When you enroll in one of these (let's call them for now) "mixed" seminars, master's and doctoral students are faced with the same amounts of reading and expected to participate equally in the discussions and conversations. It is right there that the bug hits you: You start wondering, "If I can be with doctoral students in a seminar, and do just as well or better, am I Ph.D. material?" And trust me, doc students and faculty are like sharks: They can smell blood in the water, or in this case a master's student's indecision. And we'll... er... they'll do whatever it takes to have you join the ranks of the doc students. I have personally helped several Fullies make up their mind, and I had to go through that too. I admit, the pressure to go all the way is high, and as an international student, you have this "now or never" mentality [not too farfetched, though], which adds up to the pressure. Doubt, fear, uncertainty, become part of the problem... and that's just wondering whether you should apply online or use the paper forms. </span></span></span> </div><div style="-moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 50%; background-repeat: repeat repeat;">Now, understand that if you're being told you're ripe for a doctorate that's a compliment. People here (as I said in a previous blog) like to praise talent </span></span></span><em><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 50%; background-repeat: repeat repeat;">only if</span></span></span></em><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 50%; background-repeat: repeat repeat;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 50%; background-repeat: repeat repeat;">they see it. We're not cheerleaders, we're not Paula Abdul in </span></span></span><em><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 50%; background-repeat: repeat repeat;">American Idol</span></span></span></em><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 50%; background-repeat: repeat repeat;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 50%; background-repeat: repeat repeat;">(i.e. we won't say nice things just because that's what you want to hear), but we're not Simon Cowell either (although some committees can have a professor who makes Simon look like Santa Claus!). If you feel that you can go all the way, or if you feel that your adviser cannot wait for you to be a doc student, there might be something about you that might help you succeed. However, you should be true to your heart. This is a decision that will primarily shape the next 3, 4, 5 years of your life and most likely the rest of your career. Make a sound decision. Here are some suggestions:</span></span></span></div><div style="-moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 50%; background-repeat: repeat repeat;">- Talk to people. Other graduate students (in and out of your department), your advisor, other professors you've taken classes with. Ask for an honest opinion. It's better to be told you're not ready for it before you start applying than when you're starting to write your dissertation! Also, universities have career services offices and counselors. Ask for an appointment and bring your concerns. It's not an easy decision, but don't corner yourself. </span></span></span> </div><div style="-moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 50%; background-repeat: repeat repeat;">- Look at what you want out of your career. Does a Ph.D. fit what I want to do? That's a big question you must ask yourself. That might finally decide what gown you'll wear on graduation day.</span></span></span></div><div style="-moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 50%; background-repeat: repeat repeat;">- Again, be true to yourself. Whatever you decide, make sure you know well </span></span></span><em><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 50%; background-repeat: repeat repeat;">why </span></span></span></em><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 50%; background-repeat: repeat repeat;">you did it. Whether you stay or leave, do it the right way. Again, remember that those close to you might not understand at first (it took my folks some time to assimilate my decision, but they -as they've done so many times before- supported me and gave me all their energy and love), but eventually they'll understand that it's for your best.</span></span></span></div><div style="-moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 50%; background-repeat: repeat repeat;">2. The Intangible Costs of Graduate School.</span></span></span></div><div style="-moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 50%; background-repeat: repeat repeat;">There's a famous saying in the U.S., "There's no such thing as a free meal." It kind of applies the same to (especially) a doctorate. True, some graduate students need to take up thousands of dollars on loans to get their MBAs or go to Law school, but many are also blessed with scholarships, fellowships, or assistantships to pursue their degrees. Many international students manage to pursue their degrees that way. But it is not the economic costs of a Ph.D., for instance, that I'm concerned about. It's the other costs of a Ph.D. for thousands of international students all over the U.S. </span></span></span> </div><div style="-moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 50%; background-repeat: repeat repeat;">I mentioned in my previous blog that your life goes on once you're in grad school. However, everybody else's lives do too. And there's where the intangibles begin. I'll speak for myself. So far doing my master's and working on my Ph.D. has cost me: Missing 3 weddings, including my sister's; not being the best man in 2 of those weddings; the birth of some of my cousin's and close friends' babies; lots of birthdays in my family; and very likely the birth of my twin nieces. And at least I can see my family every couple of years. There are international students who must leave their wives and children behind, and not see them again until they finish their degrees. In some cases, even find out about their newborn babies on webcam! There are some fortunate enough to have their families visit several times, others only once, and many never get to host their families or celebrate their graduations with them (In 2004, I witnessed one Ph.D. graduate that had </span></span></span><em><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 50%; background-repeat: repeat repeat;">no one</span></span></span></em><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 50%; background-repeat: repeat repeat;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 50%; background-repeat: repeat repeat;">join him at the ceremony, in one of the happiest days of his life!). In addition, the pressure is always there, if you're not careful enough you can get sick or even worse. </span></span></span> </div><div style="-moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 50%; background-repeat: repeat repeat;">I hope I'm not making the doctoral program sound as if it were a battlefield. I just wanted to point out that sometimes people outside of the program might pass judgment on us, or even think that we just want things to be this way, and that we don't try hard enough to go back home and that we'd rather be piled up in snow up here than having a nice meal in warm weather. However, we know that it's bigger than that: Not all of us come from super-wealthy families and sometimes travel is expensive. Our funding is enough to have a good life here, but not one of luxury. It is hard enough for us to deal with those intangibles and we know that those memories can never be recovered, no matter how many dvd's and mementos they send you, those of us who are here pursuing and working hard for our dreams know that all that comes with the territory. Deciding to pack your bags and go to graduate school means that you will miss some highlights of those you love back home. As I said, they'll offer you a </span></span></span><em><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 50%; background-repeat: repeat repeat;">cheaper </span></span></span></em><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 50%; background-repeat: repeat repeat;">ride, not a free one. </span></span></span> </div><div style="-moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 50%; background-repeat: repeat repeat;">However, there is a silver lining: You are also living great memories no one else is. I've visited great cities in the U.S. and met amazing people from all over the world. Ask yourself a question: How many people </span></span></span><em><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 50%; background-repeat: repeat repeat;">in the world </span></span></span></em><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 50%; background-repeat: repeat repeat;">do you know that gets to hang out (and party) with people from over 60 countries on a regular basis, some of the brightest in their fields no less? True, a weekend barbecue with my folks is pretty awesome and super fun (almost priceless), but an afternoon on my own at the Fisherman's Wharf in San Francisco is a decent consolation prize. It's gonna suck not taking my nieces for a stroll at a shopping mall in Medellin, but I know a long walk down the Magnficent Mile in Chicago will cheer me up. Plus, I don't have my family in the U.S., but one thing we international students learn is that you can make up a "family" of your own. I cannot do as much as I wish for my little sister, but I have a bunch of younger "siblings" that I take care of day in and day out - and they take care of me, in their own bizarre ways. I have a "family" in C&I, where my advisor and the faculty sometimes are sometimes like surrogate parents and uncles/aunts, and my classmates are another form of family - and like my cousins in Colombia, they like me even though I'm one of the loudest and most eccentric people they've ever met.</span></span></span><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 50%; background-repeat: repeat repeat;"> </span></span> </div><div style="-moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 50%; background-repeat: repeat repeat;">One nice thing of the "family" grad students start becoming is that what happens to you, good or bad, becomes a big deal for those close to you. There's a sense of camaraderie that comes with being "on the same boat." So, my advice to those of you that might be considering graduate school as your new life: Be aware of those intangibles. You'll miss some of the best things that will happen to </span></span></span><em><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 50%; background-repeat: repeat repeat;">everyone else, </span></span></span></em><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 50%; background-repeat: repeat repeat;">but you will also live some of the best (and craziest) moments in your life, and I can assure you you'll have a lot of stories to tell... like that time when you climbed up the Alma Mater all dressed in orange that day of the NCAA championship game... on, you weren't in Champaign that day? Well, you'll tell me all about what the wedding was like and how tasty the cake was and I'll tell you what it's like to walk around in a city where 30,000 people are dressed in orange and blue!</span></span></span></div><div style="-moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 50%; background-repeat: repeat repeat;">Until my next blog.</span></span></span></div><div style="-moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 50%; background-repeat: repeat repeat;">Raul (El Patron)</span></span></span></div></div></div><div style="-moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 50%; background-repeat: repeat repeat;">May 01</span></span></span></div><div dir="ltr" id="entrycns!6C5B1234E40A3C9D!133"><div style="-moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%;"><br />
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</div></div><h4 style="-moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-top: 0in;"><a href="" name="subjcns!6C5B1234E40A3C9D!133"></a> <a href="http://elpatron1974.spaces.live.com/blog/cns%216C5B1234E40A3C9D%21133.entry"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 50%; background-repeat: repeat repeat;">The shenanigans of Research I Universities</span></span></span></a></h4><div dir="ltr" id="msgcns!6C5B1234E40A3C9D!133"><div align="left" style="-moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 50%; background-repeat: repeat repeat;">Greetings to all my increasing fellow bloggers. As always, I like to say thanks for all the feedback I receive from friends and family. This time huge thanks to my friend and work mentor Norah Yepes in New York. I appreciate that you want to share my blog with other future Fulbrighters around the world. As a Fulbright Alumnus, it's a reason to be happy.</span></span></span></div><div style="-moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 50%; background-repeat: repeat repeat;">There has been one topic I've kind of wanted to talk about, since from my own experience at Illinois it's worth being told about when you're choosing schools for a master's or a doctorate. When I chose Illinois, I was well aware of its reputation and the fact that I was a top-notch school. What I didn't know was the existence of the term "Research I University" and the consequences for students enrolled in such universities. So here's the scoop on what that's all about and what it means for you:</span></span></span></div><div style="-moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 50%; background-repeat: repeat repeat;">The term "Research I" is actually coined by the Carnegie Foundation, and it refers to schools that offer more than (I think) 150 doctoral programs. The ones offering less than 150 are called Research II. Then there are those that only offer Master's degrees. Although I recently read that Carnegie had come up with another, more comprehensive, classification, this one is highly popular and sooner or later it becomes part of the everyday lingo, especially in fields like the humanities.</span></span></span></div><div style="-moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 50%; background-repeat: repeat repeat;">Now, being a bit sarcastic, sometimes I wonder if "Research I" is a term professors use to justify those 3 books you have to read for the following class plus the subsequent report about it and the fact that you'll have to spend a whole afternoon in the library [By the way, I said I was being sarcastic, not that I was joking!] or lots of time sitting at a coffee shop (refer to my April 4 blog). The bottom line is, the expectations for graduate students at Research I unversities are very high and faculty here are very straightforward about it, and that brings about the constant bump-and-grind atmosphere that surrounds you as a student. One of the first things I had to learn to live with was the high amounts of reading. In fact, learning to skim and scan reading materials become very important skills to develop, so please when they talk to you in reading comprehension classes about </span></span></span><em><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 50%; background-repeat: repeat repeat;">skimming </span></span></span></em><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 50%; background-repeat: repeat repeat;">and </span></span></span><em><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 50%; background-repeat: repeat repeat;">scanning</span></span></span></em><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 50%; background-repeat: repeat repeat;">, pay attention. That will be the difference in terms of how long it will take you to finish your readings, and remember to multiply any numbers I provide about pages to read by at least 3, again not kidding.</span></span></span></div><div style="-moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 50%; background-repeat: repeat repeat;">I don't bring up these numbers to scare people away. You just need to know that Research I universities are mostly concerned in, yes, research. For some folks (like me), that's perfect. You get the chance to work with some of the best in their fields and get your feet wet. But some people have more practical goals for their degrees. Let's say, for example, that you do want to get a doctorate in education, but you're not so crazy about research or being a university professor. Knowing what kind of institution you're applying to is important. Do your homework and ask around A LOT. And, if you decide to enroll in a Research I university, know this: You'll probably come out well prepared, but the faculty are gonna beat you up (intellectually speaking, of course) in the process. And trust me: They know that they're beating you up day in and day out... but then again that's for your own good.</span></span></span></div><div style="-moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 50%; background-repeat: repeat repeat;">So, what do you need to know in order not only to survive but thrive in a Research I environment? Here are some tips:</span></span></span></div><div style="-moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 50%; background-repeat: repeat repeat;">1. Get involved. U.S. universities in general, and Research I in particular, provide students with lots of chances to partake in the academic and reserach community. If you can get involved in research, do it as soon as you can, even if for free at first. Try to get your work known. Submit papers for conferences. Some universities have Graduate Student Symposia [I have presented at 2 of those], and that's a good chance to learn the tricks of presenting. </span></span></span> </div><div style="-moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 50%; background-repeat: repeat repeat;">2. Get to know the faculty. Research I faculty are awfully busy, but if you request for an appointment to discuss a particular issue of your interest, they will open a space for you. However, be careful. Faculty here have a very low tolerance for brown-nosing, so be respectful without being overly flattery. They already know they're "big names," they don't need you to remind them. But they will demand respect. So, it's always customary to e-mail them and ask for a meeting. Do refer to them as "Dr. so-and-so" or "Professor so-and-so," especially when you introduce yourself for the first time. Some are very laid-back and don't mind if you call them by first name eventually; some won't say a word but it's well-known that graduate students don't call them by their first names. Relationships with faculty can range from very respectful professional courtesy to strong friendships. Faculty refer to you as "graduate students," but many of them know they are breeding their future colleagues, so any form of camaraderie is simply their way to welcome you to the academic circle.</span></span></span></div><div style="-moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 50%; background-repeat: repeat repeat;">3. Be always ready to go the extra mile. Most doctoral students (especially) have to work while they pursue their degrees. Going the extra mile means be ready to work overtime if necessary or to do more than you might be supposed to. A strong work ethic and that trooper spirit that comes with going the extra mile are highly appreciated by faculty and that will in turn help your reputation as a grad student and might help you find more funding in the future.</span></span></span></div><div style="-moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 50%; background-repeat: repeat repeat;">4. The race is only with yourself. One huge difference between undegraduate programs and graduate programs is how one conceives competition. At the undergraduate level, there is more competition in terms of GPA or ranking, and students might make a bigger fuss about an A or an A minus, for instance. At the graduate level, although you are still competing for scholarships or funding, there is that feeling that you're working to improve yourself, not to prove you're better than the others. After all, if you made it to grad school, you've already proven you're academically successful. You get those A's for your satisfaction and sometimes even bragging rights [An A-plus will always be something to crow about!], but that won't be the measure of your success.</span></span></span></div><div style="-moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 50%; background-repeat: repeat repeat;">5. Network, network, network. Probably one of the biggest lessons about grad school I have learned so far has been the importance of networking and making strong relationships with your classmates. Although in graduate school the concept of a cohort is almost non-existant [unless you're in law school, med school, or the MBA], you take classes with a lot of people from all walks of life. Remember what I said about what you look like in the eyes of the faculty? That applies to your classmates. They, too, will defend their dissertations and find jobs. Make sure you maintain those contacts. That might come in handy in the future. </span></span></span> </div><div style="-moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 50%; background-repeat: repeat repeat;">6. Life happens in grad school too! One of the biggest mistakes one can make is to think that their life is on hold or stand-by while in graduate school. Nothing could be farther than the truth. What you just did is leave your country and resume your life elsewhere, at a very different pace from those in what we call "the real world." Newsflash: Grad school </span></span></span><em><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 50%; background-repeat: repeat repeat;">is </span></span></span></em><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 50%; background-repeat: repeat repeat;">part of the real world, and those things that happen to folks out of grad school happen to us too! I still have to pay rent and my phone, I've had a girlfriend, and I have to go grocery shopping in between my thesis, classes, and my quals. Friends of mine in school have gotten married and had babies, others become uncles, aunts, and even grandparents. A beer tastes the same here than elsewhere (although they won't charge you 7 bucks for a Corona on campus as they would in Chicago!). My point is, graduate students can have fulfilling lives and fun from time to time. We're busy in our own terms and sometimes work 9-to-5 too... although in our case it might very well be 9 PM to 5 AM!</span></span></span></div><div style="-moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 50%; background-repeat: repeat repeat;">7. Have friends everywhere, on and off campus. One big mistake people make is to stick to their small circles of friends and never leave them. A secret to my success (survival?) in grad school has been having friends who are not in education. People outside your department keep you with your feet on earth. Plus, it is exciting to hear what others do and to have someone enjoy hearing about your work with a sense of novelty. In the same token, meet people from other cities/countries. My circle of friends includes people from Argentina, Venezuela, Turkey, the Netherlands, Russia, Puerto Rico, Korea, Taiwan, Lebanon, and so on. Remember that you might NEVER have the opportunity to learn so much about the world as you will in graduate school. Seize that opportunity. In that same token...</span></span></span></div><div style="-moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 50%; background-repeat: repeat repeat;">8. Think outside the box. Aside from meeting people in other departments or from other countries, enjoy the diversity and chances for creativity campuses offer. Go to a library that's not in your field, go to cultural events, get to know what other areas are up to. Two of my papers have been in communications (at Kentucky) and Latina/Latino studies (at Illinois), and I treasure the experience of learning about what those fields are doing. </span></span></span> </div><div style="-moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 50%; background-repeat: repeat repeat;">One final thing you should know about your survival:</span></span></span></div><div style="-moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 50%; background-repeat: repeat repeat;">9. Your friends and family might NEVER understand what it is that you do, but they'll love you regardless! Trust me, the most dreaded questions your folks can ask you (and they will) is, "So what's your research about?" "What's your thesis/dissertation topic?" and the heavyweight champion, "What is it </span></span></span><em><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 50%; background-repeat: repeat repeat;">exactly </span></span></span></em><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 50%; background-repeat: repeat repeat;">what you're doing in graduate school?" It might take people forever to understand why a Ph.D. might take 6 or 7 years... add to that the fact that for international students that might imply explaning it </span></span></span><em><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 50%; background-repeat: repeat repeat;">in your native language</span></span></span></em><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 50%; background-repeat: repeat repeat;">, and that thickens the plot dramatically. But remember, your friends and family are proud of you anyways. Plus, that also keeps you down to earth, because you'll always be the person they knew before you became "Dr so-and-so"... and that's cool too!</span></span></span></div><div style="-moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 50%; background-repeat: repeat repeat;">Anyway, I wanted to share these ideas with you. To all my friends and readers, my best wishes. As always, let me know what you think of my blogs and if there's any part of my life in school that you'd like me to discuss in future blogs. </span></span></span> </div><div style="-moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 50%; background-repeat: repeat repeat;">Take care and good luck.</span></span></span></div><div style="-moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%;"><a href="" name="blogAddComment15"></a><a href="" name="blogSendMessage15"></a><a href="" name="blogPermalink15"></a><a href="" name="blogTrackbacks15"></a><a href="" name="blogThis15"></a> <span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 50%; background-repeat: repeat repeat;">Raul A. (El Patron)</span></span></span></div></div></div><div dir="ltr" id="entrycns!6C5B1234E40A3C9D!132"><div style="-moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%;"><br />
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</div><div dir="ltr" id="LastMDatecns!6C5B1234E40A3C9D!132"><div style="-moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 50%; background-repeat: repeat repeat;">April 25</span></span></span></div></div><h4 style="-moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-top: 0in;"><a href="" name="subjcns!6C5B1234E40A3C9D!132"></a> <a href="http://elpatron1974.spaces.live.com/blog/cns%216C5B1234E40A3C9D%21132.entry"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 50%; background-repeat: repeat repeat;">Random thoughts in the aftermath of my quals</span></span></span></a></h4><div dir="ltr" id="msgcns!6C5B1234E40A3C9D!132"><div align="center" style="-moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 50%; background-repeat: repeat repeat;">The blog is here! The blog is here! The blog is here!</span></span></span></div><div style="-moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 50%; background-repeat: repeat repeat;">(Note: That was inspired by the great Muhammed Ali's "The Champ is Here")</span></span></span></div><div style="-moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 50%; background-repeat: repeat repeat;">Greetings to all my friends in the blogosphere. So I'm finally back to writing after my last week and a half of Quals... it was a very intense experience, especially the last few days. I had to pull an all-nighter. For those out of the college/grad school experience, an all-nighter is one of those oftentimes necessary evils of grad school and it takes a serious toll on your body, especially because most of the time all nighters require high amounts of coffee or energy drinks (in fact, stick to Red Bull... others can be lethal believe me!) to sustain the high-octane levels that all nighters require. I want to thank everyone for their support over these last few months, be it by praying for me or putting up with my hissy fits or mood swings. Those who have to go through this know how taxing it is. I'm feeling much more relaxed today since I got a 600-lb gorilla off my back (yes quals can feel that heavy!). I mean, literally, my back is less tense! Now, I think I might be scaring away a few people from the ranks of the doc students. This kind of reminds of what my advisor said to me when I picked up the questions, "Have fun... and I don't mean it in a sarcastic way." I did have fun with my quals. After all, as an intellectual exercise, it's very interesting. It pushed me to read things I hadn't thought about before and it gave me lots of ideas for future research beyond my dissertation. </span></span></span> </div><div style="-moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 50%; background-repeat: repeat repeat;">All in all, I'm excited to be done with quals, and soon I'll be able to start to work on the piece-de-resistance of grad school: The Dissertation (or as I like to call it for pizzazz value, the "dissy"). Everyone in the doctoral program knows that this is what all those classes, research credits, and quals are getting you ready for. In two weeks I'll know if I need to revise my quals or start to work on the dissy right away.</span></span></span></div><div style="-moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 50%; background-repeat: repeat repeat;">Now, I'd like to actually thank those who have actually read my blogs. I've heard from Carlos Rico, my friend and brother in Bogota, and I apologize for not telling you about my seminar. I've heard from some friends in Champaign, like Rebecca - merci beaucoup, toi si jolie! - and finally I heard from my sister via my mom... Damn sis! Of all people, I thought you'd be the first to figure out I was talking about Isabella & Manuela! Trust me sis, if I were dating someone, let alone two, you'd have been the first to know and not through a blog. You should know me better than that, oh the humanity! Now that I made some fun of my sister, I'd like to report that she's doing well while getting heavier. Thanks too to all those who have asked me about her and made comments about their names, either to compliment them (that would be you, Manuela Jandl in Austria) or to complain about them (that would be you, Jose Luis in Medellin). I appreciate your interest. </span></span></span> </div><div style="-moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 50%; background-repeat: repeat repeat;">On a personal note, I want to congratulate some of my friends from the upcoming Class of 2006: Drs. Sara Salloum, Mustafa Yunus Eryaman, and Dom (my goodfella) Ricci. You're earned it and I know how hard you worked to get your degrees. And personally, I can tell you all that you will be missed next year. Please don't be strangers and keep in touch. I also want to congratulate my friend Issam for losing lots of sleep lately because of a new addition to his family: his new-born child. Have fun and try to sleep a little... you know, the College of Ed couches are pretty comfy for a nap! Finally, congrats to my [ex-girl]friend Meaghan in Oregon for her new house. I know how exciting that is and best of luck in your new place. </span></span></span> </div><div style="-moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 50%; background-repeat: repeat repeat;">I've said it once and I'll say it again: Damn Illinois weather! While I was working on my quals, we have 3 weeks of wonderful sunny skies. I'm done with my quals, looking forward to a sunny day... BOOM! Rainy day today, what's up with that? I hope the weekend will be better, I'd really like to hang out at the quad and chill for a while. But then again, this gave me time to blog, so it's not all bad in the end. But I stil lwant to chill at the Quad on a sunny afternoon!!!! </span></span></span> </div><div style="-moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 50%; background-repeat: repeat repeat;">Well, that's all for now, but I'll be back with more blogs really soon. </span></span></span> </div><div style="-moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 50%; background-repeat: repeat repeat;">Till next blog,</span></span></span></div><div style="-moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 50%; background-repeat: repeat repeat;">Raul A. (El Patron)</span></span></span></div><div style="-moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 50%; background-repeat: repeat repeat;">April 13</span></span></span></div></div></div><div dir="ltr" id="entrycns!6C5B1234E40A3C9D!128"><div style="-moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%;"><br />
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</div><div dir="ltr" id="LastMDatecns!6C5B1234E40A3C9D!128"><div style="-moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%;"><br />
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</div></div><h4 style="-moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-top: 0in;"><a href="" name="subjcns!6C5B1234E40A3C9D!128"></a> <a href="http://elpatron1974.spaces.live.com/blog/cns%216C5B1234E40A3C9D%21128.entry"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 50%; background-repeat: repeat repeat;">My trip to San Francisco (III) - The rest of the trip</span></span></span></a></h4><div dir="ltr" id="msgcns!6C5B1234E40A3C9D!128"><div style="-moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 50%; background-repeat: repeat repeat;">Hello again fellas. I'm back in Chambana after a long week in San Fran. Boy, was I glad to be back! The weather was awesome here, 78 degrees, sunny skies, and girls in skimpy outfits... but I digressed. Thing is, San Fran was rainy most of the time, and I was getting tired of sleeping in a bunk bed with very uncomfy pillows. Plus, I need to keep working on my quals. But, there's room for another long blog, so here it goes:</span></span></span></div><div style="-moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 50%; background-repeat: repeat repeat;">1. Sunday: The Wharf and more party crashing.</span></span></span></div><div style="-moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 50%; background-repeat: repeat repeat;">I attended the morning sessions and then I took the afternoon off. I took a cable car and went to the Fisherman's Wharf. Riding the cable car, I came across some Paisas, we're all over the world it seems. Once at the Wharf, I walked all over it and saw the old ships at the piers, Ghirardelli Square, piers 39 and 45, and I even took a boat tour around the Golden Gate Bridge and Alcatraz. That was very exciting. I didn't buy anything there other than postcards, but the funny thing is, when I went to a souvenir shop, all I could think of was finding something for my nieces. I'm telling you, I'm starting to get a kick out of this uncle business (see previous blog for more about that). After that, it was dinner time, so let's crash some parties! Here's the review:</span></span></span></div><div style="-moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 50%; background-repeat: repeat repeat;">- UMass: Decent food and at least I got a free drink out of it. I also met some students from Colombia, so that's always good.</span></span></span></div><div style="-moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 50%; background-repeat: repeat repeat;">-Texan Colleges: So much for "Texan Hospitality"... B-O-R-I-N-G!</span></span></span></div><div style="-moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 50%; background-repeat: repeat repeat;">-Wisconsin: It was alright, not much going on really.</span></span></span></div><div style="-moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 50%; background-repeat: repeat repeat;">-Teachers College: Great food and since I met two TC cats at the hostel, that was cool. There was free booze too, so that's always cool.</span></span></span></div><div style="-moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 50%; background-repeat: repeat repeat;">-Stanford: For a school that has such a big reputation, they could throw better parties!</span></span></span></div><div style="-moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 50%; background-repeat: repeat repeat;">-Journal of Latinos in Education: That Latinos know how to party is a FACT. And these guys were off the hook. I got there and they gave us a bag, I mean one big enough to fit sports gear and go to the gym. They had a live Latin band, lots of dancing and good food. By far the best reception of all. Told you, Latinos Rule!</span></span></span></div><div style="-moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 50%; background-repeat: repeat repeat;">After that we went to a bar downtown where two Canadian universities were hosting a party. Cool place, nice band, and lots of free booze... it was fun, eh? Nothing to complain "aboot" them Canadians.</span></span></span></div><div style="-moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 50%; background-repeat: repeat repeat;">2. Monday and Tuesday</span></span></span></div><div style="-moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 50%; background-repeat: repeat repeat;">Monday was pretty uneventful, just going to sessions and then two receptions at night. First was hosted by the Self-Study of Teacher Education Practices (S-STEP) SIG at AERA. I know some of those folks through my advisor, and they're pretty cool. Again, free drinks and lots of food (To the envy of those Engineering folks, in education there's always lots of food flowing!). I also made very important contacts and I can't wait to go to their conference in a few years. You see, these cats hold their biannual conference at a CASTLE in ENGLAND... now that's a pimpin' conference, don't you think? Then it was the Illinois reception and obviously, there was very good food. The U of I didn't disappoint in terms of food and being a Monday the expectations for entertainment were low; plus I had 2 presentations the next day.</span></span></span></div><div style="-moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 50%; background-repeat: repeat repeat;">Tuesday was interesting: I chaired a session in the morning and ended up also playing the role of discussant. For those who don't know how this works, AERA has a kind of sessions called paper sessions (some also call them symposia). They usually have a chair, who introduces the session and presenters and keeps time and leads the Q&A session, and a discussant, who reads the papers beforehand and offers general and individual comments. My discusssant couldn't make it, but I felt like giving some comments. People liked my intervention, so much so that one of the presenters asked me if I was on FACULTY already! That was super flattering. Later in the afternoon, I had a very interesting chat with the other presenter in our afternoon session, some good stuff may come out of that for the future. We only had 2 people for our session, but it's okay, you don't have to explain how many attended your session on your C.V. Plus, it was the very last session on the last day of the conference, so that was to be expected. After that, I just stayed in the hotel and relaxed. I had to get up at 3:30 to go to the airport so it made sense.</span></span></span></div><div style="-moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 50%; background-repeat: repeat repeat;">3. The culture of conferences </span></span></span> </div><div style="-moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 50%; background-repeat: repeat repeat;">Those who know me know about my experiences as presenter at the ELT Conference in Medellin and the ASOCOPI conferences. I also had the chance to present in the US for the first time in February, 2003 at the University of Kentucky and later in April of that year I attended my first AERA Conference in Chicago. I have to admit that there was a lot of culture shock, especially at AERA. You see, there are some major differences between how these conferences work and those in Colombia:</span></span></span></div><div style="-moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 50%; background-repeat: repeat repeat;">- In Colombia you usually have between 60 and 90 minutes to present </span></span></span><em><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 50%; background-repeat: repeat repeat;">your </span></span></span></em><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 50%; background-repeat: repeat repeat;">research. In some of these conferences, they give you between 12 and 20 minutes to do that. Although for one of them I had a whole 40 minutes to present my reserach, which was cool.</span></span></span></div><div style="-moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 50%; background-repeat: repeat repeat;">- In Colombia you usually present your work alone. Here it's common to be part of a symposium with 3 or 4 more papers, a chair and a discussant (see above what that's about).</span></span></span></div><div style="-moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 50%; background-repeat: repeat repeat;">There are things about both styles that I really like. I love the latitude you have when you have 40, 60, or 90 minutes to present your work. However, it's not uncommon to leave the session without getting any feedback for your paper. That's why I like the idea of the discussant as part of the symposium. A good discussant can really give you amazing ideas to push your research forward. Plus, when you're part of the symposium, you also meet other folks doing similar work to yours, so you can network, and you get to hear what others are doing.</span></span></span></div><div style="-moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 50%; background-repeat: repeat repeat;">What would I suggest anyone in graduate school? Try to get your papers accepted in both kinds of conferences. Most research universities have graduate student symposia (I've presented at two of those, in Kentucky and Illinois), which are very friendly enviroments and the faculty who act as discussants are really friendly. The academic demands are high, but at least it's not as intimidating as the biggies. Also, sometimes divisions within the major associations (such as the American Educational Research Association [AERA] or the National Council of Teachers of English [NCTE]) host smaller conferences. Those can be very nice events to attend. You still get to see the big-time scholars presenting their work, but the atmosphere is more laid-back. I attended one, for the Assembly for Research at NCTE (NCTEAR) at UC-Berkeley in 2004 and it was really cool. It kind of reminded me of the ELT Conferences in Medellin. These kinds of conferences are useful as training grounds for the larger ones. Also, it's sometimes easier for graduate students to be accepted. The advantage of the biggies is, of course, name recognition. That AERA session on my resume looks pretty darn good, and I'm glad I made it there.</span></span></span></div><div style="-moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 50%; background-repeat: repeat repeat;">Well, that's all for now. Now, back to my quals.</span></span></span></div><div style="-moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 50%; background-repeat: repeat repeat;">Take care and until next blog.</span></span></span></div><div style="-moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%;"><a href="" name="blogAddComment17"></a><a href="" name="blogSendMessage17"></a><a href="" name="blogPermalink17"></a><a href="" name="blogTrackbacks17"></a><a href="" name="blogThis17"></a> <span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 50%; background-repeat: repeat repeat;">Raul A. (El Patron)</span></span></span></div></div></div><div dir="ltr" id="entrycns!6C5B1234E40A3C9D!127"><h4 style="-moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-top: 0in;"><a href="" name="subjcns!6C5B1234E40A3C9D!127"></a> <span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 50%; background-repeat: repeat repeat;">April 9</span></span></span></h4><h4 style="-moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-top: 0in;"><a href="http://elpatron1974.spaces.live.com/blog/cns%216C5B1234E40A3C9D%21127.entry"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 50%; background-repeat: repeat repeat; color: black;">My trip to San Francisco (II) - Saturday's thoughts</span></span></span></a></h4><div dir="ltr" id="msgcns!6C5B1234E40A3C9D!127"><div style="-moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%; margin-bottom: 0.2in;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 50%; background-repeat: repeat repeat;">Hello again my friends. It’s about 12:15 Pacific Standard Time as I write this blog. I’m starting to like this idea of sharing my thoughts in a blog. I’m sitting in my room at the hostel writing these thoughts. This blog has actually sections, so bear with me: </span></span></span> </div><div style="-moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%; margin-bottom: 0.2in;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 50%; background-repeat: repeat repeat;">1. Saturday, daytime: Success and networking </span></span></span> </div><div style="-moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%; margin-bottom: 0.2in;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 50%; background-repeat: repeat repeat;">So I had my solo presentation at AERA in the morning. It was a roundtable (although they now call it something else), so as the name says I was sitting with some folks presenting my work for 40 minutes. I brought 12 papers to give; I’m going back with 4, unless I can give those away before Tuesday, which I’ll try to do. The audience really liked my paper and they also gave me wonderful feedback for future work. I can sense that I could pull a publication out of this one and I may push my work with racial comedy even further for AERA 2007 in Chicago. Later, I attended some really good sessions and met some great folks over the afternoon. I also reconnected with a colleague at UMass-Amherst, with whom I kinda talked about for possibilities for a post-doc (hey, I need to weigh ALL my post-dissertation options) and I’ll talk to her again and other folks at Uass on Monday morning… we’ll see what happens. </span></span></span> </div><div style="-moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 50%; background-repeat: repeat repeat;">I love coming to conferences. Not only do I get to do some traveling, but I also find more reasons to keep doing what I do. After hearing what’s happening in education and sharing what we can call “cutting-edge” research (including my own work, which is super-flattering), I see there’s plenty of opportunities to get stuff done. I’m very much looking forward to picking up my quals again and finish the questions. I feel that I’m on the right track to some good stuff for my dissertation!</span></span></span></div><div style="-moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%; margin-bottom: 0.2in;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 50%; background-repeat: repeat repeat;">2. The Party Crashers… or the Eternal Quest for Free Food! </span></span></span> </div><div style="-moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%; margin-bottom: 0.2in;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 50%; background-repeat: repeat repeat;">It is partly a joke partly a fact… Grad students thrive on free food, and advanced grad students develop an art out of finding free food. That’s what I did tonight: I decided to get free food courtesy of the rival universities (Hey, it was time Stanford and Michigan State did something for me besides giving me headaches and rejection letters!). Now, here’s my review of the receptions I crashed: </span></span></span> </div><div style="-moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%; margin-bottom: 0.2in;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 50%; background-repeat: repeat repeat;">- Arizona: Those folks at Tucson are nice hosts. They asked me to wear a sticker on my coat, which I did for a bit. I’m so glad this is not last year, otherwise I don’t think those Arizona people would’ve been so nice to an Illinois student (last season Illinois beat Arizona to go to the Final Four in one of the most dramatic comebacks ever). This year, well March Madness is over. The cool thing was that the cook was from El Salvador and he has friends in Bogotá… boy did he hook me up with some beef… yummy! </span></span></span> </div><div style="-moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%; margin-bottom: 0.2in;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 50%; background-repeat: repeat repeat;">- Louisville: Dude, it looked like a funeral instead of a reception. As soon as I came in, I started looking for rosary beads to start praying for the deceased! I was about to say, “In nomini Patri, et Filis, et Spiritu Sanctus…” D-E-A-D reception!!! </span></span></span> </div><div style="-moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%; margin-bottom: 0.2in;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 50%; background-repeat: repeat repeat;">- UCLA: It was okay, but didn’t stay too long. </span></span></span> </div><div style="-moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%; margin-bottom: 0.2in;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 50%; background-repeat: repeat repeat;">- Maryland: Boy, that was really cool! I got free Hagen Dazs and lots of desserts, even free water. </span></span></span> </div><div style="-moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%; margin-bottom: 0.2in;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 50%; background-repeat: repeat repeat;">- WestEd: I don’t know who they are or what they do, but dude they ROCK! They held their reception at the Museum of Modern Art… Fancy baby!!! And they had OPEN BAR… Free Heineken, now that’s STYLE fellas! </span></span></span> </div><div style="-moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%; margin-bottom: 0.2in;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 50%; background-repeat: repeat repeat;">- Stanford: With apologies to my adviser, it was B-O-R-I-N-G </span></span></span> </div><div style="-moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%; margin-bottom: 0.2in;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 50%; background-repeat: repeat repeat;">- Michigan State: History tells us that the Spartans were good at war… but these modern Spartans are good at partying too. They had a live band, and even the Dean and the other big cats actually sang for the entertainment of the audience. Very fun times there, and I saw a friend I hadn’t talked to in ages, so even better. </span></span></span> </div><div style="-moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%; margin-bottom: 0.2in;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 50%; background-repeat: repeat repeat;">- UC Santa Cruz: See Louisville above. </span></span></span> </div><div style="-moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%; margin-bottom: 0.2in;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 50%; background-repeat: repeat repeat;">- Indiana: Same as UC Santa Cruz. </span></span></span> </div><div style="-moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%; margin-bottom: 0.2in;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 50%; background-repeat: repeat repeat;">More party crashing Sunday night. Stay tuned! </span></span></span> </div><div style="-moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%; margin-bottom: 0.2in;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 50%; background-repeat: repeat repeat;">3. Youth Hostels: A Cheap, Colorful Travel Alternative </span></span></span> </div><div style="-moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%; margin-bottom: 0.2in;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 50%; background-repeat: repeat repeat;">For me and some of my Colombian friends (Andres, Davila, Carlos R, Sergio B., etc., it’s you I’m talking about), Youth Hostels will always bring back wonderful memories of moments (100% Cotton, guys?), people (El AIWA), and adventures. I hadn’t stayed in one of these since 1998. This time around (third overall) I looked at a youth hostel as my choice for my trip to San Fran. I’m staying at Globetrotters Inn. It’s on Ellis and Mason streets, in Downtown SF… less than 10 blocks from the AERA site (Moscone Center), and very close to the Cable Car stop, so it’s well located. The place is not 5-star by any means, but for 20.00 a night I’ve never expected the Hilton (which, by the way, is just ACROSS THE STREET!). So it’s fine for a few days in town. </span></span></span> </div><div style="-moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%; margin-bottom: 0.2in;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 50%; background-repeat: repeat repeat;">It’s pretty colorful if you also consider the kind of people you can get to share the room with. Tonight we have in a six-bed room: Two Swedish girls, an English dude and his girlfriend, a Kiwi (i.e. New Zealander), an American, and me, the Colombian Illini! Quite the variety, don’t you think? Of course, in my case, hanging out with folks from all over the world is already commonplace living at the U of I. Still, it’s nice to see that there are places to stay that lend themselves to such diversity. One thing is for sure, I don’t think I’ll pay for a hotel if I travel on my own so long as I can find a youth hostel to stay in. </span></span></span> </div><div style="-moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%; margin-bottom: 0.2in;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 50%; background-repeat: repeat repeat;">4. Love at first hear </span></span></span> </div><div style="-moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%; margin-bottom: 0.2in;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 50%; background-repeat: repeat repeat;">I’ve been meaning to write about this for quite a while. You see, I’m a believer (although not much lately) of love at first sight… well now I also believe in love at first <i>hear</i>. Last Tuesday, I fell in love with these 2 girls that I know will be just gorgeous! I know their mom very well and she’s very pretty, so I’m certain they’ll follow suit. The fact is, it might take me a while to meet them in person, but I can’t wait to hug them and kiss them like crazy; seriously, I’m already madly in love with them… </span></span></span> </div><div style="-moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%; margin-bottom: 0.2in;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 50%; background-repeat: repeat repeat;">Now folks (especially you Davila and Acevedo, among others…), get your minds out of the gutter. I’m talking about my twin nieces J My sister told me they’ll be girls. Sister, I am super excited, even if I didn’t seem like on MSN. And I can’t wait to spoil them from time to time and help in their education (one thing is for sure, those girls won’t go to Michigan EVER) in any way I can. You know, this uncle business sounds very promising. </span></span></span> </div><div style="-moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%; margin-bottom: 0.2in;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 50%; background-repeat: repeat repeat;">That’s all for now, folks. More blogs coming soon. </span></span></span> </div><div style="-moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%; margin-bottom: 0.2in;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 50%; background-repeat: repeat repeat;">Till next time, </span></span></span> </div><div style="-moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%; margin-bottom: 0.2in;"><a href="" name="blogAddComment18"></a><a href="" name="blogSendMessage18"></a><a href="" name="blogPermalink18"></a><a href="" name="blogTrackbacks18"></a><a href="" name="blogThis18"></a> <span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 50%; background-repeat: repeat repeat;">Raul A. (El Patron) </span></span></span> </div></div></div><div dir="ltr" id="LastMDatecns!6C5B1234E40A3C9D!126"><div style="-moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 50%; background-repeat: repeat repeat;">April 07</span></span></span></div></div><h4 style="-moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-top: 0in;"><a href="http://elpatron1974.spaces.live.com/blog/cns%216C5B1234E40A3C9D%21126.entry"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 50%; background-repeat: repeat repeat; color: black;">My trip to San Francisco (I)</span></span></span></a></h4><div style="-moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%; margin-bottom: 0.2in;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 50%; background-repeat: repeat repeat;">Greetings to all my blog readers. I want first to thank my friend and brother Carlos R. for his wonderful feedback on my previous blog about coffee shops and libraries. I’m glad you liked it and it was great to hear from you. </span></span></span> </div><div style="-moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%; margin-bottom: 0.2in;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 50%; background-repeat: repeat repeat;">Now on to business. So I’m still in the middle of Quals Madness but my adviser thought it would be a good idea to schedule them in the middle of my trip to San Francisco… well she’s the boss and since she’ll help me get out of here by 2008, I’ll go along with whatever ideas she has in store for me. I arrived in San Francisco yesterday afternoon. This was my first time in SF and so far it’s been pretty fun. I’ve spent most of my time in the downtown area, where the conference is taking place. I spent some time yesterday at the Yerba Buena Gardens, nice place. They even have a carousel for kids ages 8-95. I hadn’t ridden the carousel in ages, and it felt nice to forget about life and quals and everything else for a change (See picture). Then it was back to business and start choosing the sessions I’ll attend. I needed to be very choosy since I am supposed to include these as references for my quals. And of course, I’ll have my “shining moments” over this week. I have 2 presentations, one solo by the way, and I’ll chair one session. </span></span></span> </div><div style="-moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%; margin-bottom: 0.2in;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 50%; background-repeat: repeat repeat;">Now, let me explain to you something about this conference. This is the American Educational Research Association (AERA) Annual Conference. Thousands of people from all over the world come to this conference every April. One can say this is the “Super Bowl” of Educational Conferences. Pretty much anybody who’s anybody in the business shows up, although getting to meet the “big names” can be pretty difficult given the size of this event. However, getting your work accepted here, especially if you’re a graduate student, is a pretty big milestone. Instant respect comes with that and that looks pretty neat on your vita. And this year, as Kanye West would say, “I’ma touch the sky.” </span></span></span> </div><div style="-moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%; margin-bottom: 0.2in;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 50%; background-repeat: repeat repeat;">However, I’ve been pretty much on my own this last day. I haven’t seen anybody from the U of I, let alone any of my friends. It’s not so fun at times to have to be all by yourself in a big city, but I’ll survive. Plus, I’ll be looking pretty snazzy all weekend long. Business casual most days (FYI, that means sport coat and tie), and I’ll bring my A-game for my 3 sessions. Believe me, even my adviser has been impressed by how I get ready for a presentation (and she’s a pretty big name herself so that’s a huge compliment), so I won’t let any of my friends and former students down this time around. </span></span></span> </div><div style="-moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%; margin-bottom: 0.2in;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 50%; background-repeat: repeat repeat;">Later this weekend I’ll let you know more about my weekend in San Fran. I plan to visit the Fisherman’s Wharf on Sunday and Chinatown on Tuesday. And of course, I’ll share how my sessions went. Please keep your fingers crossed so that someone shows up to all of them (I once had to give a talk to two people… my record of 120 in Cartagena in 2000 still remains and it will for quite a while). </span></span></span> </div><div style="-moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%; margin-bottom: 0.2in;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 50%; background-repeat: repeat repeat;">Till next blog </span></span></span> </div><div style="-moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%; margin-bottom: 0.2in;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 50%; background-repeat: repeat repeat;">R</span></span></span></div><div style="-moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><br />
</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0.2in;"><span style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms';"><span style="font-size: 100%;">aúl A. (EL Patron)</span></span></div>el patron himself, Dr. Raúl A. Morahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07874252858044754446noreply@blogger.com0