Minny-soda

Seventh Place pedestrian boulevard is lined with a theater and several restaurants with outdoor seating. The night before I took this photo, I enjoyed a few unique beers and a delicious sandwich while sitting at the bar (alone) at Great Waters pub. It was awesome. In fact, combined with the weekly outdoor summer concerts at Mears Park and lunch at Pino's Pizzeria, that experience makes me think I could probably live in St. Paul, Minnesota. The presence of downtown skyways to avoid venturing outside in the winter is a little troubling, though.

On gratitude and stuffing

I can't remember exactly when Thanksgiving replaced Christmas as my favorite holiday. Sometime in the last decade, the allure of eating delicious foods began to outshine that of wrapped toys in my mind. Everyone is so happy, we get two days off of work, and I genuinely cannot think of anything I would rather feast on than mashed potatoes and stuffing.

Also, I really like the message of Thanksgiving. All holidays have a significance that runs deeper than our typical celebrations, but Thanksgiving particularly resonates with me. Maybe because I don't know much about the religious backgrounds of other holidays, or maybe because I'm a sucker for sentimentality.

Regardless, it is comforting, if a little selfish, to consider my own good fortune. Even when life sucks, many people are inevitably worse off and have far more reason to cry than I ever will. Acknowledging this doesn't always make me feel better, but it at least makes me feel a little silly about being dejected. It never hurts to keep the world in perspective: to be grateful for life's many blessings, both material and intangible, and to feel lucky to lead a happy, priviliged existence. So really, to me, Thanksgiving is an excuse to dwell on the reasons that life is great (homemade stuffing being one of many).

At the root of many glaciers

After a grueling 4 hour hike in Alaska's Kenai Fjords National Park, you can reach the Harding Icefield. The word "expansive" does not begin to do this place justice. It is a vast accumulation of unmelted snow, built up over millenia and the fuel behind hundreds of glaciers. Looking off into the distance, you can see nothing but mountaintops, surrounded by an endless plain of snow. If you looked hard enough, you could probably locate Russia too.

In a Christian nation...

The misguided prejudice of many people in this country astounds me. I have already made my case against Proposition 8's ban on gay marriage. But after reading this article, which presents gay marriage as a microcosm of a larger schism within the Republican party, I browsed some of its hundreds of reader comments. The article casts the fight over Prop 8 as reflecting a brewing contest between moderates and the religious right.

There certainly were several fundamentalist-sounding comments, quoting Bible passages to argue the uncouthness of homosexuality. But these people are not swayable. It is useless to tell them, as many have tried, that the Bible also teaches fierce opposition to many other things that are widely practiced today (and are overlooked or even accepted by society). More troubling are comments like this:

If i were gay I would push for civil unions and be happy with that. As long as we are a Christian nation the gay lifestyle is never going to be socially acceptable but that doesn't mean they should be mistreated either. Remember gays are treated much worse in Islamic and Hindu countries. And everyone can't always have everything that we want.

This is not a particularly hard-line stance, but it does reflect several unfortunate sentiments. First, it assumes that Christianity and homosexuality are mutually exclusive. Gay people can have religious beliefs too. Sure they don't necessarily spend their lives advocating for discrimination against their peers (which, sadly, many do). But actively working to worsen the lives of others is not a central tenet of any religion I've ever heard of.

Second, the idea that the United States is "a Christian nation" is misguided. The founders were, in fact, quite explicit about the separation of church and state. Religious freedom is written into the Bill of Rights. Yes, the large majority of people in America are Christians. But this should not have any influence on policy. On a related note, referencing mistreatment in "Islamic and Hindu countries" is also misleading. Many countries are run by theocratic principles, but their policies do not speak for entire faiths. The problems in these countries are often rooted in their fundamentalist dictators, whose human rights violations are abhorrent by any standard. Anti-gay sentiment is not an inherent reflection of strong religious beliefs; it is a result of bigotry.

Finally, I take issue with the statement "everyone can't always have everything that we want." I have always kind of hated this sentiment, ever since my dad used to play the Rolling Stones to "teach me and my siblings a lesson" about greed and humility. But this line implies that the asker is seeking something unreasonable. Gay people are not looking to change anyone's life but their own. They want the same privileges enjoyed by every other U.S. citizen. This is not the nagging request of a petulant child. It is the longing of a repressed minority for an equal shot at the American Dream - the same desire that has motivated civil rights movements throughout our history. That there are legitimate channels for this equality to be achieved speaks to the wonder of our country. That it has not yet been granted demonstrates just how far we have yet to go.

I or me

One of the most basic sociological concepts is that of the interplay of I vs. me - two aspects of the self that help define us. The I and the me are constantly interacting, and represent complimentary social forces that shape our lives. As an internalized form of people's perceived opinions, the me tells us how others think we should act. It helps us fit into set roles, such as "student" or "manager," and allows us to judge appropriate behavior in a variety of situations. The I, on the other hand, comes from inside. It is creative and impulsive, and lets us think independently.

The back and forth nature of this relationship factors into every decision that we make, both conscious and unconscious. In a meeting at work, our me may tell us that, as junior level employees, we should stay quiet and absorb our surroundings. But if we have a good idea, our I may convince us to speak up. On a less overt level, our me convinced us to wear professional clothing, even though our I would have been more comfortable in shorts and sandals. If we were to exist only as me's, we would be total conformists, with no unique traits. Conversely, if we were only I's, we would have no concept of what is socially accepted, and be as inept as infants or as dangerous as sociopaths. The different sides of our nature combine to make us the socially functional, yet unique individuals that we are.

It's interesting to look at decisions that I've made and consider the I and the me. Some of my greatest memories and my biggest regrets stem from brash decisions made against my better judgment and opportunities missed because of timidity or complacency. These concepts can help you make sense of other people's choices too. Of course the idea of the I and the me is an extreme oversimplification of the forces at play in our life, and it's not always a great way of analyzing things. But that's why I think sociology is so cool. You can apply so much of it to your everyday life without really having to buy into all of it at once.

Improvised without sheet music

I'd give a lot to be able to play piano like this.

If you look at his youtube profile, this guy has a lot of videos of his music posted. I've listened to several and he's very talented, but this is my favorite by far.

Something delicious

The chicken soup that I made for dinner last night (and am enjoying for lunch right now) is pretty tasty. It has an exotic, Caribbean kick to it. Here's the recipe:

1. Cook a couple chicken breasts on the side in boiling water. Once cooked, chop and set aside.
2. Meanwhile, chop the following vegetables into bite-sized pieces: 1 onion, 1 red bell pepper, 2 celery stalks, 2 carrots, 5 garlic cloves, ground or fresh ginger.
3. Sauté these vegetables in a soup pot with some canola oil for about 5 minutes.
4. Add ~8 cups chicken broth, 1 cup flaked coconut, 1 can corn, chopped up chicken. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for 30 mins.
5. Mix in 1 can coconut milk, Tabasco, coriander, allspice, chopped cilantro, juice of 2 limes, lime zest, salt, and pepper. Simmer for a few more minutes.

Star stuff

There's something inspiring about outer space. The idea that everyone and everything that I will ever know or see makes up a very small slice of life on Earth is profound enough. But to consider the tiny place that Earth occupies in our solar system, let alone the universe, is mind boggling. Space is vast. Every one of the stars in the sky is another sun, possibly circled by its own set of planets. Planets that might be inhabited by forms of life that we can't even begin to understand.

Seeking out these extrasolar planets is a difficult, time-consuming task, and the potential payoff is muted. Yet still, we search. It's that blind, hopeful exploration that is so appealing to me. Space travel carries powerful undertones of unification - venturing out into the dark unknown not under the flag of any one nation, but as humans.

Astronomers recently managed to photograph four of these planets for the first time, which is very, very cool. That leaves us no closer to zipping around, visiting distant places Star Trek-style, but it's still pretty exciting.

Fall in the capital, part 2

Colorful foliage and monuments from several weeks ago. D.C. is a great place.

Legalized discrimination

In the past week, I’ve been eager to soak up news coverage of the aftermath of the election- Obama’s transition process, possible candidates for the cabinet, and D.C. gearing up for inauguration day. This is an exciting time for the country and I’m looking forward to being a part of it. I am bothered, however, by the passage of Proposition 8 in California, which reverses a ruling by the state Supreme Court and bans gay marriage in the state’s constitution. This casts a pall over what has otherwise been an exhilarating several days.

It is a shame that gay marriage is an issue at all, but doubly upsetting that it’s now been banned in liberal, open-minded California. Barack Obama carried the state by a wide margin, so this cannot be blamed on right-wing fundamentalism. Instead, it reflects a troubling mainstream opposition to equality.

At root, perhaps, is the religious connotation that many people assign to marriage. Indeed, many couples get married in churches and view their union as a commitment before God. Should religious bodies wish to regulate for whom they will perform marital ceremonies, they certainly have this prerogative. But permitting gay marriage is not about forcing unwilling faiths to conduct weddings for homosexual couples in their churches. It is not about altering the curriculum of schools, or forcing a new ideology on straight people. Plain and simple, it is about allowing two people who are in love to solidify their relationship in a way that grants them joint legal rights and, culturally, implies a lifetime commitment to each other - same as marriage for a heterosexual couple.

Some sanctimoniously argue that gays should be allowed equal rights under the law, but that the idea of marriage between a man and a woman is sacred. But this ignores a big part of the issue by dehumanizing the discussion. People do not get married because they want visitation rights in the hospital or to fill out their taxes in a different way. These are necessary benefits of being in a long-term, committed relationship, but they do not spark the relationship itself. Couples get married because they are in love. They marry because they want to become a family and because they recognize how much fuller life is with a companion than it is alone. It should not matter if the people in question happen to be gay. How is it fair to deny anyone this happiness?

It is particularly heartbreaking to consider Proposition 8 in the context of the national election. The sense of hope and opportunity that Barack Obama represents rings quite hollow when juxtaposed with what happened in California. To favor a constitutional ban of gay marriage is to favor legalized discrimination. This position inherently casts a group of people as second-class citizens and legitimizes a sense of bigotry that this country has long struggled to overcome.

Still, caught up in the spirit of Obama’s victory, I am confident that this ban will eventually be overturned. A younger, more tolerant generation is coming of age, and I cannot believe that such blatant discrimination will persist in America, purportedly the Land of the Free, forever. So while there is reason to be hopeful, for now I am just very, very sad.

Mr. President-Elect

The gravity of this moment took awhile to sink in. I don't know why. I cried five times yesterday, but not during Obama's acceptance speech.

Maybe because part of me had already begun to assume that Obama would win in the days leading up to the election. Although I tried not to let myself become overconfident, it was hard not to feel good about his chances when Nate Silver's predictions were so promising (and accurate, it turns out). Maybe the moment of exhilartion had passed, when Fox called Ohio. Or maybe I had simply exhausted my capacity for emotional displays by 11pm, having teared up while waiting in line to vote, in my car, and at work.

Obama's election is a huge milestone for our country. The symbolism of it alone is enough to inspire goodwill domestically and abroad. I really hope that he is able to capitalize on this and make some substantive progress. I know this won't be easy- Bush is leaving the country in a precarious place. But if the marathon campaign has done anything, it has filled me with confidence in Obama-the-candidate's ability to make steady, good decisions under pressure and be an inspiring leader. I am fervently hopeful that, as president, he will continue to do the same. And if this is the case, the symbolic significance of his win last night is only the beginning of all the good that Barack Obama will do for our nation and the world.

And for the record, I cried on the way to work this morning.

Yo voté

D.C. polling places open at 7am, so at 6:07, I crawled out of bed, showered, and put on a blue shirt, using my Barack Obama tshirt as an undershirt, Superman style. Around 6:55, my roommates and I walked to our polling location, a nearby school, English muffins in hand. We saw some people standing on the street corner a block away, but followed signs to the entrance. Because of the angle of the building, we did not see until we got up close to the door the massive line. It stretched from the door all the way down the length of the school, and then turned the corner and circled around the block until it reached the street corner we had seen from a distance.

We walked towards that corner, passing everyone in line along the way. Some were very old, leaning on canes and perched on folding chairs. Others had very young children, clutching to their parents' hands or running around on the playground. There were people like me, dressed for work, and young people who looked like they had rolled out of bed and into line. The mood was excited. Many were chatting with those next to them in line. Others called out to neighbors and friends as they passed by to get in line (or, even better, on their way out, "I Voted" stickers proudly displayed).

The entire experience was very moving and I found it very difficult to keep myself from crying (gave in. twice). Elections board volunteers were on hand to ensure that first time DC voters understood the ballot and to periodically shuttle senior citizens to the front of the line. Despite the massive wait, things moved along very efficiently. And at 8:36 am, vaguely trembling and trying to avoid tearing up for the third time of the morning, I cast my vote for Barack Obama for president.

Please vote today.

Not doing my part

I regret not volunteering to help out with the campaign. Although I've been an Obama fan since I read his first book, long before he declared his candidacy for president, I've hesitated to volunteer. Mostly I just didn't want to knock on doors and make cold calls. But as I've read more and more accounts of canvassing, I start to think that I would have actually enjoyed it.

This man in North Carolina certainly got a lot out of it. He too was skeptical at first, but ended up volunteering again:

We knocked on every door we could find and checked off every name on our list. We did our job, but Obama may not have been the one who got the most out of the day's work.

I learned in just those three hours that this election is not about what we think of as the "big things." It's not about taxes. I'm pretty sure mine are going to go up no matter who is elected. It's not about foreign policy. I think we'll figure out a way to get out of Iraq and Afghanistan no matter which party controls the White House, mostly because the people who live there don't want us there anymore. I don't see either of the candidates as having all the answers.

I've learned that this election is about the heart of America. It's about the young people who are losing hope and the old people who have been forgotten. It's about those who have worked all their lives and never fully realized the promise of America, but see that promise for their grandchildren in Barack Obama. The poor see a chance, when they often have few. I saw hope in the eyes and faces in those doorways.

My wife and I went out last weekend to knock on more doors. But this time, not because it was her idea. I don't know what it's going to do for the Obama campaign, but it's doing a lot for me.

That is the appeal of Barack Obama. No politician will make everyone happy with his or her stances on the issues. But someone who inspires people on this level, who makes them feel confident that everything will be ok even when circumstances are grim, and who gets people excited and hopeful about their future and their place in this country- that is someone I want in the White House. I've known this all along, but I wish I'd figured out sooner what I was willing to do to help.