Awake

Ready for God Knows What

5:27 am, Thursday.

I'm awake.

In my dreams I was having a nervous breakdown. For the time being, anxiety held its position within the boundaries of my subconscious.

I really was awake. It seemed early; it was still dark outside. The window was open and it was quiet, too. Still, even.

Still awake. I twisted my head around looking for red glowing digits: 5:29 am. Why was I awake? Oh yeah, nervous breakdown in dreams. LSAT tomorrow. Been relaxed all week. Calm. Cool. Collected. (At least on the outside.) I guess now its time for the game face.

I journaled for an hour and a half, attempting to eradicate any easily accessible mind clutter. Drafted a letter to a professor I haven't contacted in seven years which turned in a minor narrative on my life since the turn of the millenia. Remember me? Please do, because I need a letter to you to convince admission committees of several law schools to think I'm a good fit for their school—at least compared to the other poor saps who completed their application around the same time as I did.

Tomorrow is one of those milestone days. Tomorrow, I take the LSAT, the Law School Admission Test. It's one of those days that you wish wasn't as important as it is. (Please be a good day. Please be a good day.)

I walked to the transit center this morning ahead of schedule. This is a rare occurance and I felt justified in thinking, "Maybe I am ready for tomorrow."

I think I'm ready. For what? Triumph or tragedy or something in between. God only knows.

Awake Art

Here's a slideshow of a small handful of photos on Flickr that posess some connotation with the word "awake."

A slideshow of agentolivia's favorites on Flickr

Thomas Friedman speaks at MIT on The World is Flat

Thomas Friedman, the foreign affairs columnist at the New York Times, just came out with a new book, The World is Flat. Leah just started it and likes it so far. I hope to pick it up soon myself. The lecture in itself is interesting as Friedman explains how he came upon the thesis for the book during the filming of a documentary in India.

You'll need RealPlayer to view the lecture. Further instructions are on MIT's site. But if you're still having trouble with it, let me know in the comments or via e-mail and I'll try and help you out.

Here's The Link: The World is Flat lecture at MIT. Click the "Play Now" button on that page to download the video.

Looking for something to read?

Whether you're looking for something to peruse or to ponder, here are a few suggestions for the curious and conscientious alike.

FEMA to reimburse faith groups for helping victims (via AlertNet)

• What motivates your charity?
• What are some good reasons for a church to apply for federal reimbursement? What are some bad ones?

Indian flood-hit state rushes medicine to homeless (via AlertNet)

• Do you find yourself more likely or less likely to take action in response to disaster around the world after Hurricane Katrina? (This question is really geared for readers lately living in the U.S.)

Darfur's Smallest Witnesses (via PBS, The News Hour with Jim Lehrer)

• How do these children's drawings bear witness to the gross criminal acts happening in Darfur? Do they provide hope in any way?
• We are called by Jesus to become like little children. Can we learn anything from these children's drawings about right and wrong? Justice and injustice? The mind and heart of God?

Please feel free to post your thoughts on these questions as comments.

Happy Birthday, Mom!

Cross-Cultural Extermination Ministry?

Our tutoring session last Thursday was cut short by Ruth's increasing bug anxiety. In her apartment, strange, creepy bugs take residence on the walls, ceiling, and floor. (Yes, it is gross. Nothing like cockroaches, thank God, but still very eww-gross-eww.) Decorative sheets that had been hung from the walls had been stripped away as had the multiple layers of woven rugs in her bedroom. Apparently the manager had come by (understandably dismayed) and sprayed something in a few areas but was unwilling to make any further effort. I don't blame him.

What did I do about it? Nothing, at that moment except reassure Ruth that I would try and think of a solution. Usually I don't shy away from minor bug extermination. But there are too many symptoms here. Layers of rugs on the floor provide myriad bug havens. Sheets on the wall do the same. A lack of a vacuum makes it very difficult to keep the floors clean (a broom can only do so much on a carpet).

I want to figure out a short-term solution for the bugs as well as a maintainable cleaning/debugging system (complete with supplies) for Ruth and her roommate. You know how the cleaning supply aisle is one of the most convoluted confusing aisles at the supermarket? Well try navigating it by only looking at the pictures and colors--don't read any of the words. (Of course when it comes to cleaning supplies, sometimes reading the label doesn't clarify the product at all!)

So the apartment cleaning part sounds like a ministry opportunity to me and I've got a potential offer of help, which is great: my plate runneth over. (Isn't my cup supposed to be runneth-ing over? Hmmmm.)

Another ministry opp for a graphic designer (or a good Internet researcher) is to create clear, cross-cultural, graphical stickers to place on household products. They could have simple one or two word English labels as well as a picture. Speaking of stickers, anyone remember Mr. Yuk stickers from the Oregon Poison Control center? I wonder if they're still around. I worry about those curious kids and the pretty bright colors on typical cleaning supply containers. "Yuk."

Stress, deferred

I've been so excited about applying for law school I forgot that I am struggling to increase my time on 2 major sections of the admissions test! Ack! And last night, there was a small emotional landslide as I was stressing out over LSAT analytical reasoning questions to the point of withdrawl into late-night AMC movie watching.

Well, some of you know that I am transitioning to my gmail e-mail account. I've decided my .mac account is no longer an expense I can justify. Part of the transition is to unsubscribe from e-mail lists and in turn subscribe under my new address. One of the lists I "unsubscribed to subscribe" was Bruderhof's Daily Dig. In their unsubscribe confirmation e-mail, they consider the possibility that one might unsubscribe because they don't fully appreciate the content provided, so they offer up Breakfast with Blumhardt as an alternative. Even though I was in actuality just changing the e-mail address I was subscribing under, I was intrigued by the suggestion and promptly subscribed.

Late last night, in the midst of my "unwinding," I received the next day's installment of Breakfast with Blumhardt. The first line read, "As a warning for each one personally and for all of us, I say: keep the Lord before you; then he will remain at your side, and you will not be shaken." This was an echo of what I knew in my heart even in the midst of my little breakdown: had I set the Lord before me in taking the LSAT? I knew in even asking the question, I hadn't. This morning I resolved to take along with me on my train commute my recently neglected One Year Bible to see what the Word was for today. Indeed, reading about King Hezekiah dealing with threats of the Assyrian king and God's powerful response really put my law school admissions test into perspective.

So I am grateful for how I was led back into the Word today and how I was reminded to put God ever before me. He, after all, is way more qualified than I to fight my battles.

Thanks, mysterious, compassionate, warrior: Jesus.

Just Another Kink in the Chain of Command

Warning: may contain cynicism. proceed accordingly.

As the nation continues to reel in horror at the unearthed ghosts of its political and social history, the day-to-day operations of many branches of government continue, unimpeded. Apparently, in the Department of the Interior, directed by the infamous Gale Norton, that day-to-day business includes carelessly trashing government documents related to an ongoing lawsuit in which it is named and directly implicated. (Not to say that if it had destroyed the records "with care," it would improve their ethical, or rather, unethical, position.) Consider:

In the letter dated Sept. 13, NARA attorney Jason R. Baron said that members of the agency "noticed what appeared to be federal records in one of the dumpsters" at the main achieves building on Pennsylvania Avenue on Sept. 1. Among the records destroyed were documents from the 1950s from the Bureau of Indian Affairs, Baron said.

Subsequently, "more of what appear to be Indian records were discovered in a wastebasket in the stack areas at Main Archives," Baron said in the letter. "It is not known if these two incidents are related."

If this had been the first time such (literally) destructive behavior had been spotlighted, it would be shocking. As it is, this anecdote is only added to a long line of "repugnant, desparate actions we've come to expect from Interior Secretary Gale Norton and her unethical managers," says Dennis M. Gingold, lead plaintiff for the Indians who are seeking a full accounting of their government-managed individual Indian Trust accounts. (Quoted here.)

The IndianTrust press releases are always good reading, whether they contain scathing judgements from the Court or the plaintiff lawyers, like this one, in which Gingold suggests that the only way to stop the Interior from destroying evidence is to toss Norton in the clinker:

"Despite numerous court orders to preserve records related to the individual Indian Trust, the Secretary and the Interior Department continue to destroy irreplaceable trust documents three blocks from the federal courthouse where they were held in contempt for destroying trust records. Unless — and until — Norton is thrown in jail, she will continue to destroy trust documents in order to undermine this 10-year-old litigation," he said. "When a sitting cabinet level official feels that they can destroy protected trust records 60 yards from where the Constitution is displayed, we have a government that is out of control." (emphasis mine)

Too bad he didn't add, "and throw away the key." My fear is others equally lacking in integrity and sound leadership will only take her place.

Link: Indian Trust - Cobell v. Norton Press Release:
Government Caught Destroying More Indian Records in Violation of Court Orders

(Oh, that justice would roll down like a river.)

Google Maps and U.S. Census

Very cool GIS app combining Google Maps with demographic info from the 2000 U.S. Census report or the Housing Report. Link.

Princess Adalie Grace

After I took this picture of Adalie, we walked around the neighborhood and she threw rocks in the dirt. Who says a princess can't get a little dirty? (See Kylia's pictures for more proof of that. ;-)

Mac 'n' Cheese Ala Kylia Praise

A Little Lake Wenatchee

Actually, Lake Wenatchee in Washington State (kinda by Leavenworth) is not little at all. But my photos from our visit there number only 3, thus "a little." There was no sign of the recent forest fire there, except a bunch of pup tents for firefighters at a camp nearby and on the day we visited, it was sunny and windy. Very windy, in fact. In the background of one of the pictures I took of Seth and his daughter, Adalie, you can see some of the kite surfers, there were 4 in all, sweeping the lake. It was fun to watch.

Crater Lake

In August, Mom, Dad and I headed down to our favorite campin' spot (which will remain anonymous...crowd control, you understand ;-). Nearby, is Crater Lake. Grandpa joined us on Sunday and after Mom and Dad headed back (I decided to stay a couple extra days), Grandpa and I headed to Crater Lake. More pictures are here.

Cross-Cultural Ear Piercing: 101

It wasn't too surprising to find Ruth over at her mom's apartment in the building adjacent to her own place. It wasn't surprising at all to find six kids, two teenagers and four adults hanging out in the living room when I arrived. But I was a little surprised to be summoned upon to help with pierced infected ears.

A package had arrived from Africa (home sweet home). Besides some new colorful outfits and wraps, jewelry had arrived, specifically earrings. And the earrings were going straight from the package to the ear—with or without an existing hole. (Ouch is right.)

The teenage girls were taking turns with the simple (painful) procedure and I was content to let them handle things. But finally they gave up and Ruth turned to me, "Teacher, help." I took a closer look. While it wasn't as bad as Jenn's staph infection in high school, there were definite signs of an infection: puffy, oozing, bloody ears on both Ruth (who I was supposed to be teaching English) and Famo (who's about 12, I think). I told them I'd be back in "15" with some supplies.

On the way to my house, I called my mom. She suggested rubbing alcohol and Neosporin and ice. I swung by Freddy's for that plus some cotton balls, swung by my house for latex gloves and an extra empty ice tray (and dealing with another issue: an unused winter hooded jacket and black work shoes for Ruth). I only had a couple of cubes of ice in my freezer, so on my way back to Ruth's mom's apartment, I swung by the Taco Time on Allen and filled a cup with ice.

Back at the apartment, I cleaned up Ruth and Famo's ears and they demonstrated for me that they could treat their ears with rubbing alchohol, cotton, and Neosporin (and ice) that I left with them. After giving explicit instructions to keep the alcohol out of reach of the kids ("It's NOT water!") and to use the Neosporin every day until next week, I left with a gift of a banana. (Whenever I do a favor for them or give them something, they give me a banana. When I brought the kids school supplies, I got two. =)

So, the lesson I learned tonight was once again flexibility. And how to deal with pierced ears among Somali Bantu in Beaverton.

Now to eat my banana. ;-)

Guess who's 3?

Well, I'm a bit tardy getting pictures up from the last month...but here's a batch from my niece Adalie's 3rd birthday party which we celebrated up at Wild Waves.

Visual communications, good causes, and mixed messages

Today's Reuter's AlertNet has an interesting article on the lamentable use of what is being termed "development pornography," in which naked children or women are photographed in a pathetic state and in turn that photograph is used by NGOs to raise money for relief and development causes.

The problem is the double standard being employed: would you want your child photographed naked and sick for the entire world to see? Would you want your mother photographed bare-breasted and dehydrated so that money could be raised for a cause being implemented possibly on the same continent? Put in these terms, the issue seems clear cut, but the issue is in fact far from being clear.

The poor of the world are forgotten and disenfranchised by definition and a shocking image seems justified to awake a complacent global population to the demise of their neighbors. But does that shocking image create and reinforce a stereotype that in effect creates and reinforces a barrier that keeps people emotionally, spiritually, and physically at a distance from their neighbors? The picture of a child with a bloated stomach and rib cage pressed against his paper-thin skin says, "I should pity you, I should give money to relieve my conscience," right? How often does it say, "I recognize you. You are my brother, my sister, my child, my mother, and my father. You are my Jesus. I will go to you in compassion, love, and respect and I will carry your burden. I will lift you up out of the pit." I don't know how often images of unnamed malnourished children assumed to be living somewhere in a continent of 54 countries really moves people to that conclusion. My guess is, not very often.

This is a relatively new debate to me, and I'm not the only one, as this article notes:

"It's got worse in the last 10 years," said Nikki van der Gaag, a freelance writer and editor. "There's a whole new generation of people working in NGOs who've never had this debate before."

Source: Reuters AlertNet—Aid workers lament rise of 'development pornography'

If you want to dig a little deeper into this issue, here is the link to the article mentioned as well as a couple links recommended at the end of the article:

• Reuters AlertNet—Aid workers lament rise of 'development pornography'
• Imaging Famine
• Reuters AlertNet—NGOs still fail standards on appeal images

Peace.

Naomi Klein on Reconstruction

One of the most critical issues to face the United States in its history as a nation has been thrusted into the spotlight by Hurricane Katrina: The Reconstruction of the South.

The U.S. has never finished the task of reconstructing the South after the Civil War (1861-1865), indeed the task has been set aside and neglected for well over a century, and now the question is once again posed by countless editorial writers, displaced residents, journalists, advocates, and citizens from many different walks of life: how will we rebuild the South?

Naomi Klein, a journalist and most notably the author of No Logo, offers up her opinion on how New Orleans in particular should be rebuilt: at the direction and oversight of the evacuees.

Link: Let the People Rebuild New Orleans (The Nation, posted September 8, 2005)

Portland Actively Awaits Evacuees: More Ways to Help

Update: Oregon on hold, again.

On The Oregonian's Help Blog today, listed are a variety of ways to help, highlights from columnist S. Renee Mitchell's column this morning. From the sound of things, local businesses have really stepped up to help provide for 500 poor and displaced arriving tomorrow from the Gulf Coast. But there's still more to be done.

Here's a few highlights of ways to help: (Check out the Help Blog on for more.)

People who want to meet evacuees at the airport may call Joyce Harris (who works at the organization where I work) at 503-816-3960. Call today, because I think they're arriving Saturday.

Planning and action for the mental health of students and teachers is a huge need:

If you have a clinical license in mental health or are a licensed medical doctor or nurse, call 503-528-5784 and immediately tell the Red Cross about your qualifications. Other volunteers can call the same number, but workers are so overwhelmed, it might take a while to get back to you.

Read more about the situation of students in teachers in affected Southern states in this PDF document from the Center for Mental Health in Schools at UCLA.

Also, here are some free downloadable resources listed in [PDF] About Planning and Action for the Mental Health Needs of Students and School Staff in the Aftermath of Hurricane Katrina:

• [PDF] What Schools Can Do to Welcome and Meet the Needs of All Students and Families (Guidebook)
• Crisis Assistance and Prevention: Reducing Barriers to Learning
• [PDF] Responding to Crisis at a School (Resource Aid Packet)
• [PDF] Transitions: Turning Risks into Opportunities for Student Support
• Student & Family Assistance Programs & Services to Address Barriers to Learning
• [PDF] Bullying Prevention (Quick Training Aids)
• [PDF] School-Based Client Consultation, Referral, and Management of Care
• [PDF] Volunteers to Help Teachers and Schools Address Barriers to Learning

Haven't heard anything about schools building teaching capacity, although I'm sure it's on the discussion table. This goes for anyone who wants to help in a professional capacity, if the organization/school/business through which you want to assist Katrina victims doesn't already know you exist, then make sure they know who you are and what your qualifications are so that they can call upon you when you are needed. If you want to teach, make sure the district(s) have your application on file, quickest way may be to get on the sub list. If you're already a part of an organization that could potentially help, plan and prepare your organization/company/church, if you haven't already, then communicate that to local paper, the Welcoming Committee in your city, or other organizations that are already helping. By partnering with others already mobilized, your organization may be able to help alleviate some of the burden.

Cash is always welcome. Northwest Medical Teams, as well as many other organizations, accept donations on their Web site . Just make sure you know they're involved—give responsibly.

More Links:

• Folks wrap up early Christmas for evacuees, S. Renee Mitchell, Friday, September 9, 2005
• Help Center Blog

Happy giving.

Now we're getting somewhere: Ways to Help

If you're in the Portland area, here are some ways to help incoming evacuees coming this weekend. From The Oregonian's Help Blog:

A Welcome Oregon Donations Center will serve as a central location for donations. No. 1 need: Money.

Call phone bank: 7 a.m.-10 p.m.
Monday-Friday; 8 a.m.-6 p.m. Saturday-Sunday.
Numbers: 2-1-1 or 1-800-723-3638.

Other top needs: School supplies, kitchen utensils, small appliances, new or nearly new chairs, sofas, beds, tables, towels, bedding.

Not needed at this time: Clothing, stoves, refrigerators or large appliances, nonhousehold items, food.

Donation center: At Northwest Medical Teams' Tigard headquarters, 14150 S.W. Milton Court, Tigard. Donated items will be accepted 8 a.m.-5 p.m., seven days a week.

Links:

• Northwest Medical Teams {Directions}
• Google Maps: the donation center at Northwest Medical Teams in Tigard
• The Oregonian's Help Blog, launched to help Hurricane Katrina evacuees in Oregon.
• There is a "Want to Help?" online form accessible via The Oregonian Help Center.

Happy helping.

500 evacuees to arrive in Portland on Saturday

This just in: Evacuees may arrive on Saturday

Federal officials notified Gov. Ted Kulongoski Thursday morning that Oregon should be prepared to receive about 500 hurricane evacuees on Saturday.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency has designated Oregon as a receiving state and asked that preparations for evacuees remain in place.

OregonLive.com: More from The Oregonian

Oregon Dept. of Education Lists Ways to Help Gulf Region Students and Teachers

I work for an educational organization and we just received some information about education-related relief efforts targeted for teachers and students in recent hurricane-affected Gulf Region schools.

Cash is always the preferred method because of shipping costs (always make sure you give to a credible organization), but there is also a more "tangible" way to help suggested (for Oregonians, at least) on ODE's site, in which you gather a teacher or student supply kit and drop it off at a Oregon National Guard Armory Location for them to take to the Gulf Region. All relevant links, including supply lists and Armory locations, are listed on the Oregon Department of Education's web site.

Another New U.S. Nickel

I'm not usually a coin geek, but I'm loving the new Westward Journey designs of the U.S. nickel. Jefferson's head now "bleeds" off the five-cent piece and a couple weeks ago I noticed also a buffalo design on the tails side. But today, what a treat. I was digging in my coin purse for change to get a pack of gum and found another new design, inspired by Lewis and Clark, again on the tails side of the 2005 U.S. nickel:

A link for the interested: The United States Mint: Westward Journey Nickel Series.

Neat, huh?

Matrix Pong

This is awesome.

Portland told not to expect evacuees

...But the weather's so mild and sure it rains, but it's not 90 degrees when it does! Still, according to The Oregonian, Northwest may welcome few evacuees

Portland to take 1000

From Oregon gears up to take in 1,000 Katrina evacuees (via OregonLive):

Gov. Ted Kulongoski responded Friday evening to a request from the Federal Emergency Management Agency to assist in national relief efforts. When he got the call, he responded: "Yes, absolutely, we'll take 1,000, and we'll make this happen," said Holly Armstrong, a spokeswoman for Kulongoski's office.

Red Cross staff worked through the night, partnering with Portland Public Schools, the Salvation Army, Portland police and other government agencies to arrange clothing and food deliveries for the evacuees, said Mary Miller, spokeswoman for the Red Cross Oregon Trail Chapter.

"This is a national disaster relief operation that's been brought to Portland," Miller said. "We are urging the public to take into consideration the well-being of these individuals who will have gone through something we can't imagine. They need to be protected. They're going to be staying in a shelter so they can have the appropriate health care and screening."

Miller asked residents not to overwhelm the Red Cross with calls offering to donate specific items or inviting evacuees to stay with them.

The best way to help right now, Miller said, is to donate to the national Disaster Relief Fund for Hurricane Katrina. "That money will be coming to Portland," she said. "And give to the Salvation Army or the Goodwill as you would typically do."

(emphasis and link mine)

Links related to this article:

• Salvation Army Thrift Store Locations in the Portland metro area
• Goodwill Locator
• Oregonians advertising housing for Katrina victims on craigslist

Other Northwest Agencies responding to Hurricane Katrina victims:

• MercyCorps
• Northwest Medical Teams
• WorldVision
• Habitat for Humanity (may be of interest to some: Connick & Marsalis helping Habitat—ht: mk)

Others? Post in comments if you wish.

New music, new movie, new(ish) blog

Head on over to Dan's blog, The Nerdery to listen to two songs by the band Devotchka. One of the songs is from the trailer for Everything is Illuminated, of which Dan parenthetically remarks, "a trailer that is well worth watching." I concur.

On a technical note, Dan used CastPost which created a very nice interface for playing the songs within his blog post. Looks like something to check out—especially for you guys who like to blog about music. Linking to iTunes is fine, but I liked the elimination of that extra step of the computer explicitly opening up another program. You press play, and play it does. Nice and simple.

(For those of you who haven't met Dan yet but know Alonna, Dan is Alonna's husband. If you still don't know who I'm talking about, well then this note isn't really going to help you, is it? ;) Dan is also a tremendously useful person when one is planning the technical support of a short-term team to, say, India, for example.)