:: Life of Dave ::

Audio Blogging. That's what the new thing at blogger dot com is all about. Get a phone number that lets you post instant audio blogs that anyone can listen to. The next big thing? I don't know. A good idea? Maybe. Certainly worth an experiment.Cost is $3/month, which is reasonable enough. We're definitely moving on the internet toward micropayment. When things get cheaper than a buck a month, then we'll see what happens.

As for me... Holiday!!! Celebrate!

Yes, it's spring break in the world of David. I can hardly wait! 9 days of... writing papers! Yeah! How much fun is that?!
:: David 11:44 PM [+] ::
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I admit - I'm checking my email more frequently in the hopes of seeing something from the person I sent sixteen different versions of my resume to. I'm also currently reviewing the rules for writing a CV. According to the (broad and generic) guidelines at Monster UK, CVs really are resumes with more space. I'm still working on the personal section, in which one theoretically puts hobbies like 'skydiving' to impress the potential employer. I'll wait and see on that one.

My supervisor asked me if I would be working next week. I'm not exactly certain what he was smoking, as spring break is next week and one does not work if one is a GA on spring break. Very weird.
:: David 12:36 PM [+] ::
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I just got mail from a woman who had lived in Japan, and who enjoyed the photos I have on the website. Vindication! All that work is all worthwhile as long as one person enjoys it!
:: David 12:49 AM [+] ::
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Another day, another dollar. I've been applying madly to jobs in France, trying to line up a position for the fall. Today I got my first response from one of the companies I had sent a resume to. I was actually terribly excited when I opened the email. Of course, what it said was: "I can't open the attachment you sent, could you please resend?" I was heartbroken!

Today is Tuesday, the first day of my very short but very busy workweek. Class until 9pm, and smack dab in the middle of my day is my seminar class, the one I'm supposed to be writing a paper in. I haven't started, I don't really have a topic, and the format of the class makes me want to strangle someone.
:: David 4:58 PM [+] ::
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Recently there's been a lot of talk about having a 'digital life' - something where you record everything you did, documents you sent, conversations you had, images you saw, etc. Sheer madness. It's overwhelming. Just keeping the web page up steals all of my time. And the photos. I remember when I spent much of my day at work (using the term loosely) in Japan maintaining my web page, putting up photos of places I'd been, etc. Jason (see link at left) is now falling prey to the 'get it all out there as quickly as possible without opportunity to sort because I'm off on the next big thing' trap. If you actually lead a fairly busy life, when do you have time to sort and organize it? My Japan section took enormous amounts of time and energy, and it isn't at all finished, or polished, or anything. Now there are people who want to add more to the list of things I have to organize? I don't think so....
:: David 6:16 PM [+] ::
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Well, that's what I get for trying to type German into my web browser - it blew up and ate my post for today. What I was trying to say is that today we will play The Great Dalmuti, except it is only available these days in German, and thus we will play Der Grosse Dalmuti. But I wanted to use an esset instead of the double 's'. And instead I ate my own blog. Sad.
:: David 5:50 PM [+] ::
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:: Saturday, February 22, 2003 ::

Random thought - I went to the mall today - first time in a very long time I'd been to one. Talk about a bizarre place! My personal favorite moment was, as we were leaving, there were two folks in their 50s or 60s following us fairly close. I started to hold the door for them, but when they got close, they turned around and headed the other way. Seemed they were 'mall-walkers' or something. But here's the great part - it was an absolutely beautiful day outside! The sun was shining, it wasn't too cold... for Michigan in winter, it was an amazing day. And they were getting their exercise in a completely artificial environment with no sunlight. It was kinda sad.
:: David 2:51 AM [+] ::
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We certainly like to throw around big words, don't we? Words like culture and civilization. But I'm of the opinion that 95% of everything is blind luck or just weird turns of events. Specifically, I was thinking of the current presidency and the past presidency and the elections. In a different context Sasha and I were discussing this, as 'the point at which current events become History.' Up close, everything appears to run on quirks of fate, as in "Terrorist attacks lead to some people believing Iraq was responsible leads to war because those in power were those who believed." At some point, people will (or may) rewrite this, and then rewrite again, until at some point there will be this pattern. But right now, there is no pattern. There's just people who want war and people who don't and reasons to and reasons not to. A big muddle. Perhaps History exists to make us think there is order.
:: David 12:16 AM [+] ::
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Stinky feet. I have stinky feet. It's a sad, sad thing, but after a full day in the office my feet stink. Just another reason that I need to get comfortable shoes - preventing the death of my co-workers.
:: David 4:35 PM [+] ::
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More time dedicated to Monster.com today. In fact, workabroad.monster.com, which lets you find jobs internationally. Found some. Submitted resumes. The whole process is such a pain in the neck, trying to find companies that want you, despite the fact that (if you're me) you speak not a lick of French. But I keep trying. Jason and Jill (links at left) both updated with lots of stories recently. Lots of classic international fun. I hope I get to have some next year! :-)
:: David 2:55 PM [+] ::
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Good news - according to the BBC, weblogs have been 'vindicated' by the purchase of Blogger by Google. They also quote Rebecca Blood, "veteran weblogger and author of The Weblog Handbook" as saying weblogs are the "vox populi". I honestly believe that, with the exclusion of the fact that they make keeping a sort of 'online journal' easier, they really are not adding volumes to the body of knowledge. This is apropo of some people insinuating that bloggers know more, in toto, than news sources. Opinions are still like ass-holes....

More random days, more random people. The other day I sent email to Japan, Egypt, the UK, and (maybe Denmark? I've forgotten). I was fairly impressed. My friends really are spreading out across the globe. Soon, world domination. [Evil Laugh]
:: David 1:22 AM [+] ::
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I didn't realize how long it had been since I posted! Lots of little events - a couple more Cary Grant movies, including North by Northwest, which is more interesting (I thought) having seen a lot of his other works. Long movie, but well worth it. I actually own it, and I keep meaning to get to the special features on the DVD. Sooner or later....

So, Joe Millionaire. Much happiness. Everything went exactly as it should have. No evil women running off with big dumb Evan, only to find he isn't rich. Fun stuff.

One of my students from Japan contacted me today. She's graduating and going to Osaka International University (I think that's how it translates). It's crazy to me to think of those kids as being out in the real world - more so than young people I have known here. Being a teacher is a strange job.
:: David 11:39 PM [+] ::
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I'd love to update you all about my life and stuff, but it's time for pizza and Joe Millionaire! Yay!
:: David 7:59 PM [+] ::
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Voices from the past...

A young woman I was in Japan with back in 1999-2000 contacted me recently. It's always nice to hear how things are moving along for people, especially people you only knew from a single context. If there's one thing I love about having a website, having a weblog, all that, it's the fact that I, at least, can reappear and be live for anyone who has ever known me. I wish more folks did it. It isn't, always, that you want to keep in touch. It isn't, always, that you -didn't- want to keep in touch. But the ebb and flow of our lives make you lose some people, and sometimes you would like to know where they are, what they are up to, and just generally that they are well.

And as for Joe Millionaire, all I can say is Bah! Humbug!
:: David 1:23 PM [+] ::
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You know, bird watchers have a 'life list' which says (as I understand it) all the birds they have spotted in the wild. It occurs to me I should have one for movies, especially old ones. Last night was 'The Seven Year Itch' with, yes, Marilyn Monroe. Neat little special afterward told how her marriage to Joe DiMaggio was pretty much ended by the scene where she stands over a vent and lets her skirt blow up. Apparently he felt that wasn't really what he wanted in a wife. Crazy stuff. Anyway, despite the fact that I don't really like Marilyn as a general rule, this movie is great! It's basically one man talking to himself, with her making periodic appearances to set him more a-jitter. The original play had the lead having an affair and then feeling guilty. However, since the censors wouldn't allow that, they made a movie about a guy who felt guilty about thinking about having an affair, which I thought made it funnier. Some would disagree (like the playwright).

As you may have worked out, the MicroEconomics hasn't occupied all my time this weekend....
:: David 11:50 AM [+] ::
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Weekends of pain and MicroEconomics! Isn't it simply amazing how the most interesting topic can be made dull if one tries hard enough? I mean, I like some of the ideas of Micro, and yet I read this book and just want to go to sleep - who cares about the slope of a stupid imaginary line?!? And I have a math degree! I'm actually excited by the slope of lines! If it weren't for Joe Millionaire this Monday, I'd be lost! I wouldn't make it through the weekend!

For those who are worried, yes, of course I'm kidding!
:: David 6:08 PM [+] ::
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:: Friday, February 07, 2003 ::

Ordinarily one doesn't talk about one's dentist. I, on the other hand, just spent three hours with mine, so I will. Brad Faul is a third year at the University of Michigan Dental School, which I go to in order to get somewhat cheaper dental care. He and I have had quite a number of meetings over the past few months, cleaning up the damage I did to my teeth living in Japan. I have resolved that I will never again let something as silly as a language barrier keep me from getting my teeth cleaned twice a year. *sigh*

Actually, going to the school is a laugh riot, because the instructors are equally willing to instruct you as they are their students. So if you've ever wanted to know the relative merits of doing this or that with your fillings or, my personal favorite, ways dentists can make you think you need more work than you really do, they are more than happy to tell you. It's certainly one way to spend an afternoon!

Other random news, Jason (blog at left) has arrived in Cairo, Egypt, and started posting the goings on. I'm quite looking forward to reading what he sees regarding the US, given the current political atmosphere.
:: David 7:04 PM [+] ::
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This evening I went to a discussion on race EMU does, a little weekly thing between seven or so people. It was entertaining, not least because it reminded me of the assumptions I make every day. I walked in to a room of what I thought were five white undergrads and two profs, one white and one black. When we had the chance to go around the room I discovered how completely misguided my assumptions had been. In the room was a crazy amount of diversity, which I had simply not recognized because I went only by a cursory evaluation of appearance. Having gone with the intent of getting a feel for where race relations were in the US, it was nice to have my own assumptions made clear to me as well.

In other news, Jason has departed for Egypt. The link to his blog is on the left. I'm looking forward to reading all about his crazy life abroad.
:: David 12:52 AM [+] ::
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It occurs to me that if anyone needs a shorthand description of me, the fact that I post one day on the Shahname and the next day on Joe Millionaire should sum it up.

But wow! Melissa is gone! Who knew? Down to Zora and Sarah! Rumour has Sarah being a naughty girl in her previous profession, but we'll wait and see after the show ends - I'm afraid to look for info now on the off chance that the website I find gives away the ending. We've all determined that Zora, now that she has made it to the final round (again - who knew?!), is finished. Sarah shagged him, and that's where his brain is. This is our opinion, however, and it is worth noting that he has kept Zora this long, despite expectations to the contrary. One week left!
:: David 10:13 AM [+] ::
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Went to a talk on the Shahname today - darned interesting talk spoiled by a seriously boring lecturer - his proposal was that at the point that Sohrab was looking over the castle walls trying to see Rostam's (his father's) tent, the tents were laid out in an astrological configuration which foretold Sohrab's doom. Damned interesting. Unfortunately, his lecture went something like blah blah blah blah blah blah blah (interesting point) blah blah blah blah blah. C'est la vie. I am told this is the problem with historical persian studies - lots of people tell you too much of how they got to something instead of making the something they got to seem interesting and fresh and relevant.
:: David 5:45 PM [+] ::
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Obviously I read the news slowly, if at all. I must confess the destruction of the Columbia shuttle is not hitting me in the same way as Challenger. I think this is due to two reasons. First, I am not exposed to the media as I was in 1986. Second, and this is a story I don't tell often, in 1986 I was in foster care and living with a family by the name of Pahl, I believe. Gerry and Sylvia Pahl. He was a science teacher who had been involved in the teacher in space program - as I recall he had a plaque, which probably means he made it at least relatively far, though I must admit I'm not certain. Thus, when the shuttle blew up it was something he had a certain personal stake in, in addition to it being one of those things I think all of us remember watching. I just hope this doesn't make people stop, though what I've seen thus far in the media about it seems to indicate it will only slow things down - something that obviously needs to happen when something goes this catastrophically wrong.
The fact that I myself do not feel as affected by this as I did by the Challenger explosion does not lessen it, however. My thoughts go out to those who lost loved ones. Seven very brave people lost their lives on saturday.
:: David 11:56 PM [+] ::
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