The 82 days that Could Have Changed the World

"Together we can make ourselves a nation that spends more on books than on bombs, more on hospitals than the terrible tools of war, more on decent houses than military aircraft.”


Speaking of good books, I just read this book called "The last Campaign" about RFK.

His invisible presidency, the presidency that never was but could be, holds so much promise. Its really really sad to see how his assassination affected people close to him during the campaign.

               Its one of those tearjerker ones except your crying at the beginning instead of the end (weird I know). It may be a bit top heavy on the sepia toned idealistic imagery but that is an acknowledged bias for sure. I am now officially a convert from JFK to RFK in the pantheon of famous dead white men. He was sooo idealistic and he actually tried to change america with his idealism. Now thats walking the walk instead of just talking the (hot air) talk of most politicians. RFK stood up for and talked about topics like poverty, starvation, class inequality in America.

                 No need to go gallivanting to a third world country to do good (not saying that you shouldn't but don't assume that america has no third-world problems); there are people who are living third world conditions right HERE in AMERICA... He told Americans what they should hear, not sparing their feelings, but the cold hard truth. Its like when someone sits you down and tells you the painful truth, a truth you've been avoiding, but need to hear. He also amazingly was passed the torch of the Civil rights movement/african american political concerns (at least that's what I understood from the reading) after the death of MLK.

                     The worse and most haunting part is that he knew he was going to die soon. As each day slipped by, he probably breathed a sigh of relief that he managed to survive one more day. He also was terribly aware of this, once telling an aide/friend that "Guns stood between him and the White House."

Basically go read the book. You won't regret it. And it gets good reviews too! http://www.observer.com/2008/citizen-kennedy?show=all

I think he was a genius politician, and he did have flaws for sure. It would be interesting to get responses on those who were old enough to remember RFK and his 82 days that set America on fire. ugh, just reading the beginning is enough for an attack of the weepies. Too much nostalgia.

Shelfari

Well this was suppose to appear as a widget but I also don't want to upgrade my blogger pofile so it can include gadgets. today in class, i rediscovered the joys of Shelfari, an off-shoot of Amazon, which allows you to catalogue the books you have read, want to read, and are reading with friends online. A virtual bookshelf basically. Its pretty sweet. I only have about 250 books listed although I know I have read more. Its also fun to follow friends and see if they have similar tastes or even pick up book suggestions. 

Shelfari: Book reviews on your book blog

I forgot the Rain

So it was nice and grey and overcast here in usually-sunny california. I made the best out if it and slept until 2. i did get brunch from 11-12. who doesn't want to stay in bed all day when its grey and overcast and your bed and fuzzy and warm? I know I do.

One of my friends offered this gem, as we were talking about how we liked the rainy weather today. She told us that the smell that rain makes when it hits dry earth is called Petrichor. It has its origins in greek, where  petra, meaning stone + ichor, the fluid that flows in the veins of the gods in Greek mythology.

Of Astronomy, Midnight Drives, and Rain

So yesterday was sooo boring at Scripps. Nothing, and I mean nothing, was going on. After sitting around with my friends for an hour or so, it was suggested by another friend to drive to Mt. Baldy!! An adventure! something new. Something not manufactured by the 5c's. I think we had forgotten what other fun things we could do that wasn't a 5c party.

Anyways, we load up in the car, the sky overcast and grey, the moon's rays blurry like seeing lights through water. We drove up the winding mountain pass, through the two tunnels, and through the very cute alpine village of Mt. Baldy. (they have a fish pond where you can pay to go fishing lol). We accidentally took the wrong turn up, and we were speeding towards some mountain pass in the San Gabriel Mountains. We quickly realized our mistake and turned around, but not before stopping at a small turnoff to admire the view. It was so silent there, the darkness reaching out, blurring the mountain ridges. If one squinted, one could imagine the darkness to be a vast ocean before the mountains.

An Ariel view of Mt. Baldy and Claremont

(Photo credit Claremont Digital Library Collection)

We drove back to Mt. Baldy Village and continued on the right road, the twisty mountain path up Mt. baldy that reminded me of the roads at home. At intervals, the glow of the lights from the Inland Empire spread out below us was visible.  Once at the top, we got out, walked around, danced a little, ate trader joe joe's, and had a generally good time. It was a little chilly so we didn't stay too long. Since it was late at night, no one else was up there, making it as quiet as the turnoff we had visited before.

What I did learn was very interesting things about Astronomy! One of my friends is taking an astronomy class so she shared some info. Apparently, the sun does not just stand still but actual has its own rotational path like all the other planets.

And I learned that the moon is actually moving away from us at a rate of 3 centimeters or something really fast. And when the moon has moved away far enough, we will be screwed because the Earth will have come to a dead standstill. (Maybe we need to build a death star like moon as a replacement) But that won't happen for another billion years, so when it does happen, I will be six feet under! Hurray!

This is a true fact, so if you don't believe me, go look it up and google will tell you the truth. 

Birthdays Past

It was my birthday on Wednesday, Hump Day, the middle of the week. As you get older, birthday's become funny affairs. No longer is birthdays the expected cake and presents and you get your way because you are the birthday princess day. This is not to say that I don't expect anything anymore on my birthdays, but they have morphed into Grownup birthdays.

Grownup birthdays are where one resigns oneself to the fact that if your birthday falls on a week day, it may just be an ordinary day at work, at school, etc. They happen. But for me, there is still this assumption that because it is my birthday, there is a rosy tint on the world and things will go my way. I was born on the very day, It MUST be special and the WORLD must acquiesce to that fact.  In reality the world is the same as it ever was, spinning on and on, no different than the previous morning when you awoke.

On the actual day of my birthday, I didn't do anything special. i went to class, did my homework, hung out with my friends. What made it special was my friends coming up and saying happy birthday, acknowledging the fact that I was born that day and that they cared enough to say happy birthday. We are going out to eat on friday, but all I really need for my birthday is the words of family and friends saying happy birthday, a hug, and a smile. Its nice to have your presence validated and esteemed in the world.