Two Kenyan Guys

So, I was watching some TV with my din-din, and I saw this show called "Two Kenyan Guys" on NatGeo. It's about two Kenyan men: A Masai warrior named Lamarti and a Samburu warrior called Boniface. They are traveling around the US to learn more about our modern culture so they can learn to live in the modern world while still preserving their own traditions.

It's so funny! I can't get over it! I am watching an episode about their trip to Texas. They helped the cowboys push their cows around, and then went to learn to play football and cheerlead, ate some barbecue (where they talked with an African American man, which was interesting), and helped a wildlife rescuer. That was my favorite part. They helped him take a couple of raccoons out from under a house. Boniface went under the house with the worker. Lamarti described the noise from under the house, and it was hilarious! Also, they wanted goat meat and went to a farmer. The goats have this odd genetic condition where when they get scared, their muscle stiffen up and they fall over. It was sad to see, but really funny at the same time too.

In any case, funny show. A little weird because they dress like warriors all the time, even in their chaps and cowboy boots. Very tokenized in that sense but still a very good show. I think it's a fair balance of showing their culture but not in a patronizing "look at those goofballs in Africa" kind of way. It's almost the opposite way, actually. Or maybe that's just my pre-existing prejudice against Texas.

They did make me realize that cowboy culture in the US is really really aggressive. They are the cowboys of Kenya, and they don't need horses or cattle prods to get their cows to where they need to go. Their cows don't run away from them, but like them because they protect them. They sing to their cows so they know their voice and know they can trust those people. Cowboys in Texas trap their cows in cages, enrage them and then rope them and pull them to the ground for sport. Hmm....

<.< >.>

Cruel? I think so, but I'm sure there are those that disagree.

In any case, I like the show a lot, and I think you would too!

Damn You, Compy!

My computer is dying. If I try to do anything to it to try to fix it, it overheats and stops halfway though. Highly annoying. : (

It's on risers, and I even tried fanning it by hand the whole 40 minutes it was resetting to factor defaults. It passed out from the heat 8 minutes in. I wish I could afford another computer now. Unfortunately, I'll have to wait until mid-June at least before I can afford another computer. However, my next computer will be a fancy desktop instead of a middle of the road, outdated giant laptop. If I want to sit on the couch and fiddle online, I can do that with my netbook.

In other news, in the next 2.5 weeks, I have to write a 25 page research paper, a 15 page research paper, a 5-7 page stupid paper, give 2 presentations on my research and take 3 exams, 2 of which are in-class essays. In addition, I am organizing a team for the MN AIDS Walk, and helping organize a banquet, and securing a job for the summer, and working my usual 12 hours/week.

Time to check back in, Catey.

In other news, registration for next semester is done, and I kind of have the same classes. This semester, I'm taking a religion course, a Polisci seminar, a Soc/Anth research methods course, and an econ course. Next semester, all of that is true as well. They're even in the same rooms, except one is next door. It's a little weird.

I won't let everything get me down! Nothin's gonna keep me down!

Technological Advancement

Well, it's not really advancement. Just a movement. I downloaded Google Chrome onto my netbook. It's a lot nicer. I was using Firefox before and the browser itself took up half the screen. Chrome is smaller, so I can actually see most of my window. The netbook is only 10.1" diagonally, so having 1" taken up instead of 3" is really nice. Also, its faster, so my farmville doesn't lag. lol.

Also, I have utilized the sound recorded on my cell phone. My ringtone is now "ring ring ring! ring ring ring! phone call! phone call!" From the 2nd (?) episode of Pokemon. Also, my text tone is now the PokeCenter healing tune. "Do do dodo do!" Yay! Coupled with my pikachu charm hanging on my phone, I am now one of the nerdier telecommunicators. hehe.

A mostly good time

So, with the exception of the fact that I must write this on my netbook. I don't mind writing it on my netbook but it means that my regular laptop is kaput. Why can't I find my install cds? When it go the blue screen in January, I had to wait a few weeks to restart it. But it restarted without the install CD. A few days ago, it got the blue screen, but restarted an hour later. I've been trying for 3 hours tonight. It hasn't been working. I guess I'll try it tomorrow or something. Or later on tonight. I'm impatient.

Otherwise, I guess I'll be taking a trip home soon. Who knows when, but I will!

In any case, I have to go home to have my mom sign a few forms for my trip abroad! Shazaam! I'll be going to Thailand in January. Yay! I'm really excited! I've been wanting to do this since freshman year, but it wasn't offered this year, so I went to south central Europe instead. The nice surprise, though? It's only $3,614! Most trips are around $5,000. I feel privileged.

Also, I feel accomplished. Since December, I've been planning a day for Robyn Ochs (http://robynochs.com) to come to campus and speak. It finally happened yesterday! I did the contacting, the contracting, finding the funding, PR, etc. I know it's poor practice of me, but I didn't really use help from others except for funding from organizations (including the Grose Family Endowment, the Soc/Anthro, Social Work and Family Studies, American Studies and Women's studies departments, the Gender and Sexuality Center, GLOW and the Student Organizations Committee), as well as Prof. Bill Poehlmann, Willa Simmet, Brian Walpole, Pierce Devol and his mom to help with transportation. It was a really great day! We were late to the first class, but the class is 85 minutes long, so it's probably all right. She spoke to two women's studies classes, a human sexuality class, and then did a lecture called Beyond Binaries and a workshop called Choosing the Label. It was a very full day, and also very successful. She spoke to around 110 people total yesterday. Pretty cool.

Anyway, today was also the Day of Silence (http://dayofsilence.org). We had an estimated 85 people participate in that, and GLOW raised $175 from t-shirt sales. Awesome!

Little House on the Prairie

I turned on the TV when I sat down to dinner today. Last night, I watched Sarah, Plain and Tall before bed on the Hallmark Channel. So, when I turned it on today, and a 5 part miniseries of Laura Ingalls Wilder's books is on, and I came into it 20 minutes into the first part.

Well, I won't be getting much done tonight. It's pretty hokey, but I loved those books when I was a little Half Pint. Plus, I must be having some hormone swings or something because every now and then I just get all choked up. Even for commercials, or when Jack was swept downstream, or when the big scary Indians cornered Ma in the house. I know Jack comes back that night, and the Indians just want some food, but still. A big lump in my throat forms up and I just get all teary-eyed.

In any case, I made Pasty Pie for dinner.

Ingredients:
2 9" pie crusts
1 lb beef, uncooked and cubed
4 rutabagas, diced
4 carrots, diced
2 small/medium potatoes, diced
1 onion, diced
4 pats of butter
Salt and pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Cut all ingredients so they're approximately they same size. Mix with salt and pepper in a large mixing bowl. Place one crust in a pie plate, and fill with mixed ingredients. Place pats of butter on top, then cover with second crust. Seal crusts together, and trim any remaining crust off. Bake for 1 hour.

I tried not to nap.

So, to start, I had a party at my apartment last night for SANRA (St. Olaf Society for Atheism, Non-Religion and Agnosticism). Ergo, this morning, I was slightly hung over, really tired (about 6 hours of sleep) and had a living room full of sleeping people. So, I read the paper and chatted til they left around 11, then I make some chocolate chip pancakes and played farmville.

Then, I woke up at 4pm. What happened? Food coma + lack of sleep + warm sunshine + feelin' crummy = uncontrollable sleep.

So now it's 1:30am. I can't sleep. Good times. lol.

Chocolate Chip Pancakes (serves 3)
1 cup all-purpose wheat flour
2 T sugar
1 T Baking Powder
1 egg
3/4 cups soy milk
2 T canola oil
A few T of chocolate chips

Mix dry ingredients. Add wet ingredients. Heat up skillet on low. Put 1/4 cup of batter on skillet, and sprinkle some chocolate chips on it. When bubble start to appear in the center, flip over and cook til golden brown. Serve with Organic Maple Syrup and black tea.

Ce makeh me sad!

I realized I only wrote 4 blogs last month. That makes me sad. I tried. I really did. I suppose I will just try harder.

Part of the reason is the impatience I had with dial up the last week of March, during spring break (which was lovely and relaxing, by the way). I normally write blog posts because of the mass amounts of waiting time on dial up, but this time I could barely bring myself to check my email and facebook every other day, let alone write a blog.

But spring break is over. Back to the grind... I don't really like this semester. I like 2 of my classes, another is tolerable but the last one is just obnoxious. I just don't get it! Most of the class feels the same, too. If I could get a guaranteed spot in Feminist Theology next fall, I would just drop this class and work more. Alas, registration for next fall takes place after the drop/add deadline.

Alas.

Postal, going.

I feel inspired by all the recent posts. I will post (aka. I don't want to finish writing my to-do list and go to bed). I'm not actually going postal (but ask me again in a few weeks. We'll see).

I thought I should just post that my life is good. I don't really have time for a huge social life, but I don't really need one. I am happy with a small social life.

I am also happy being single. I know a lot of people find that odd, but ever I find myself happier more often than I was when I was in a relationship. Even though it was great, being in a relationship is a lot of work. I would rather focus on myself, because I don't have a lot of energy to spare. I find myself reluctant to enter into anything with anyone. I like being single, and I think I will stay that way for a while.

Unless, of course, someone comes along who happens to make me feel being in a relationship with them is better than not. And when that happens, I will probably find energy and time to give to them.

I suppose this note is inspired by an awkward, and repeated, conversation with my dad's wife who says things like "you're never going to find another one like him!" and "He treated you good, you got along with his mother and family. Those don't come around to often." It was good, but it was also a lot of stress and tears. Worth it, but still not always peachy.

Also inspired by all of the new and ended relationship notifications that pop up on facebook.

Spring, anyone?