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:: 04.29.2003 ::
Tengo hambre; I have hunger. There’s a few small piles of leftover Easter candy on my desk, but I’m trying to ignore them. This week is Hunger Awareness Week on campus, which doesn’t really amount to a lot more than some posters and a few events, but I’m for tonight at least, I’m trying to make hunger a part of me.
Tonight was the Ha Ha the Name’s So Ironic Hunger Banquet: about 15 of us showed up and were divided into groups that reflected the pie chart of global affluence. Of course, I got put right where the odds predicted, on the floor in the Low Income bracket. We got a largish bowl of rice, two pitchers of ice water to share between the eight of us, and a bowl and a spoon apiece. This meant that we could either eat or drink but not do both at the same time. The Middle Class kids got hamburgers, French fries and lemonade, while those in the Upper Class (which globally includes everyone who makes more than 9000 dollars a year, about 4.50 an hour, with a fulltime job) got a full course meal and ice tea and desert. Only two people drew red upper class tickets, but their table was served for five. Eventually someone brought down a plate of pasta to our impoverished table cloth on the floor, and though we had to split the whole thing between all eight of us, a couple of noodles and some pesto sauce have never seemed like so much food to me. After people started clearing out the last of the fine diners offered an untouched piece of chocolate pie to those of us still left in poverty. I said “oh holy crap yes” and she held it out to us, and felt like a blasphemer. No matter how many people split it (five in our case), a piece of pie is a wondrous thing, and “crap,” while not particularly rude in the company of friends, was far too vulgar for my rice-fed mouth to be calling a slice of heaven.
I left the meal feeling blessed and hungry. Two bites of pie and a table spoon of pesto sauce to flavor my rice was clearly far more than I would have received in real life, and even in our simulated division of calories and power I couldn’t believe my luck. But my body, conditioned by all-you-can-eat cafeterias and buffets still felt humbled and empty. And though there are some rather tempting Swedish Fish not six inches from my keyboard, I think I’m going to let it stay that way for a little while at least. There’s nothing glorious or special about being hungry. But there is something to be said for patiently waiting to be filled.
I suppose it’s quite a bit different in my case though, when I’ve got a pretty good idea where my next meal will be coming from.
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On the social awareness front I also went to go see Julia Butterfly Hill speak tonight. If you haven’t heard of her, like I hadn’t until just over a year ago, it’s a sign of the power that mainstream corporate media has over what you know. Last semester I read her book Legacy of Luna in one night, and when I found out she was coming to Chapman to speak a few weeks ago Chapman suddenly became much more important in my eyes.
She seems instantly familiar to me, and not because I’ve heard her story. It’s the way that she’s telling her story that reminds me of hearing my aunts narrate their lives on summer hiking trips, full of humor and love. She is barefoot and wears thrift store pants and big hoopy earrings. Her hair is cut like a boy’s.
And Julia, she says that we’re all activists, because everything we do makes a difference. And love isn’t a feeling, she says, it’s a verb. And I know all that. But it still feels good to hear it from someone else for a change. She especially thanks the men in the audience for coming, because in an society that gives boys guns and army men to play with to encourage them not to care, and then empowers men so that they don’t have to care, we’re fighting against the norm. That was something I hadn’t heard before, but it was nice to hear, too.
…
Heard a lot of bands, saw a lot of people, stood in the sun and slept in the van. It was rock and roll.
:: Aaron Humphrey 12:07 AM reply [+] ::
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:: 04.26.2003 ::
Wow it's been a long time since I updated! I typed something out a few days ago but it didn't get uploaded for some reason. Anyway, here's a quick synopsis of what's going on with me:
Today: went to Laguna Beach (oh man, that place seems cool) to shoot a project for my teevee class involving pirates, ninjas, my roommate Grunk and a girl wrapped in ceran-wrap, came back and skateboarded to library, drug store, vintage clothing shop (too expensive, I’ll stick to thrift stores, thank you!), and Wherehouse music, which is closing down, so I got 6 CDs and a Backstreet Boys puzzle post card for less than 4 dollars. Came back, ate dinner and got ready to do homework, but got dragged off to a soda and board games party in the lobby, which was more fun and longer-lasting than I expected.
Tomorrow: My friends Andy and Neil won tickets on the radio to the Cochella music festival, which includes so many good bands that you won't even freaking believe it, I'm serious! So they’re driving all night and all day to pick up me from Chapman and Peter from Loyloa and then we’re all heading off to Indio for two days of the most intense music EVER! Then I have to do that homework I promised myself.
Schedule for next semester:
Acting for Non-actors
Film Production 1
Feature Construction
History of Film (to 1945)
Intermediate Screenwriting
Badminton
Some of that may still change though. As it stands, it will either me be the most awesome semester ever, or the most disastrous. Hmm, sounds like most of my life right now hahahahaha!
:: Aaron Humphrey 9:51 AM reply [+] ::
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:: 04.12.2003 ::
Going back to Oregon today and waiting for my ride to SNA (that's the Santa Ana airport, aka John Wayne Airport, aka We Ran Out of Presidents or Something, I Really Have No Idea, Maybe the Cigarette Companies Funded it). So. Webpage. Hooray!
This is the first time I'm not bringing my laptop with me on the trip, and I'm really quite proud of myself. Computers, who needs them? Well, I mean, besides you to read what I've written. And me to write it. But whatever.
Ok, I think I need to go now. The revolution starts today!
:: Aaron Humphrey 9:51 AM reply [+] ::
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:: 04.08.2003 ::
Today was very hot outside, in spite of the gigantic holes in my jeans.
:: Aaron Humphrey 6:38 PM reply [+] ::
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:: 04.01.2003 ::
Let’s talk about hats really quick here:
1. Hats make everything fun.
2. Sometimes, hats make things safer.
3. Anything you can put on your head is a hat.
4. Chicks dig hats!
5. Wear hats everyday.
Hooray!
:: Aaron Humphrey Midnight o'clock AM reply [+] ::
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