Monday, August 29, 2011

Listen Up...


This speech is excerpted from the closing scene of the Charlie Chaplin classic "The Great Dictator". Filmed at the beginning of WWII, it parodies Hitler and the Nazi regime.

Nearly 71 years since the film's initial release, and this impassioned speech retains its relevance. For this reason, I think it profoundly important to really listen to the words here - three and a half minutes is really nothing - because the call to universal peace and brotherly love is more necessary than ever!

Shout out to Sina A. for the head's up. I appreciate you.

Sunday, August 28, 2011

Lazy Sunday Style...


The Dirty Dancing Soundtrack has been in heavy rotation this week - so perfect for summer! Anyhow, I thought I'd share one of my faves. Y'all... music used to be sexy. Please, please, please: bring it back. By which I mean explicit just isn't cutting it.

Since I'm back in a country where Sunday is the Lord's day (vs. the start of the work week), I'll leave it there. Yeah.

Saturday, August 27, 2011

And... Deep Breath!

Source: weheartit.com via Aimee on Pinterest


Doosts! I am pleased to say that my charming - if antique - lap top has been reunited with a power cord! I no longer need to flit about town, pirating computer time - and (ahem) borrowing interweb connection. I'm totally (mostly?) legit now.


But just because I've been a little silent on the proverbial airwaves, doesn't mean that I've been totally inactive. Oh no. I've been up to all kinds of things!


In the 3 short weeks (and 1 day) that I've been living in good old Orange County, I have managed to learn about such virtues as kindness and justice with some really awesome neighborhood children, meet 4 members of the cast of Criminal Minds (!!!!) - specifically A.J. Cook, Joe Mantegna, Matthew Gray Gubler and Paget Brewster. They're so kind and awesome!


Oh... and I also got a job!!!!!!!! I know - I'm really relieved! More deets soon; I officially begin life as an employed, tax-paying American on 6 September. Until then, I'll be studying more virtues, making new friends, and hopefully finding a local water polo team I can train with. By which I mean if you know someone who knows someone who plays water polo in Orange County, holler at your girl - I have to keep my skillz sharp! Ha!

Wednesday, August 24, 2011

Thinking Outloud...


Now that it's 2011, I kind of expect somethings. Like cars that get at least 50 miles per gallon. I don't feel that this represents the impossible dream. Humans are totally capable of designing something along these lines. And not just a one-off.


Oil resources are becoming increasingly scarce, and owing to some serious turmoil in the countries most famous for oil production... these resources are also becoming unreliable.


Now that I'm back in Southern California - where, by the way, the public transportation is nearly non-existant and entirely non-effective, and the addage about walking is true - doing things like spending hundreds of dollars a week on gas is just crazy talk to me.

I mean, cars have been with us for over 100 years, why are we stuck in the 70s? ...by which I mean technology has come a long way, baby.

Thursday, August 18, 2011

Busy Is The New Available...

Truth, courtesy Doghouse Diaries.


So I'm back in OC and ironically connected to most of my friends by the thin lines of g.chat. Sadly, the power cord on my uber-vintage laptop (lap top?) has gone belly-up on me.... so I'm a little incommunicado. The good news is that the world wide interwebz have all kinds of things - even the power cord to a 2002 era computer.


You may be pleased to know that the repatriation process isn't as scary as I'd feared - and I've even already taken a weekend refresher course in teaching children's classes on spirituality and moral lessons.


I also got my library card renewed and I plan to serve as a reading tutor! [I'm actually really excited about this prospect - service is such a great way to engage in the community!]


I would like to suggest to the fine folks who are charged with determining what constitutes "televised news" that a little diversity is a good thing. I mean, I'm not an expert, or anything - but maybe you should consider looking beyond our borders. Just a suggestion....

Wednesday, August 10, 2011

Roman Holiday...

So I'm finally home in Orange County, after 4 lovely years in Israel and 5 whirlwind days in Rome. I'll share more on my repatriation in due course, but I've got my film back from Rome and I thought I'd share some of the pictures. ...particularly as I managed to shoot 2 entire rolls of film while there - and if you've met me, you know what a feat this is!

Enjoy:
Il Vittoriano

The Pantheon
[I accidentally exposed some of my film...
so I cut out the overexposed parts on this one.
Sigh... aimee piper!]

Anti-war graffiti tagged on a building on Via Nazionale, complete with corresponding web site information.
Graffiti, interestingly, comes to us in English from the Italian - for 'to scribble'.

Columns near Marcello's Theater

Iron gates and a small sample of the throngs of people in front of Il Vittoriano.

St. Peter's Basilica: Vatican City
My fascination with the angles in architecture knows no bounds.
...methinks that geometry would have been much better if presented with a camera and a Roman holiday, however.

Trevi Fountain.
...you know I'm coming back, yes?

Tuesday, August 2, 2011

Field Notes...

Image courtesy The Culture Bite

First gelato: eaten. Specifically at this little place on an island in the middle of the Tiber. [...I'm in Rome!]

The house specialty was a scoop each of chocolate and pistacchio. It was ridiculous. Must.Get.More.

Updates: My massacre of Roman gelato is complete... and I am back in the States. I'll have more recaps soon. [Also, never underestimate my tech-ineptitude... field notes. Ha!]
 
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