"good fortune"

i think learning from our mistakes and from other people is really important...i was thinking about the cliche idea that "learning about other cultures helps us learn about our own culture" and i think this is really true of my study abroad experience - i think my obsession with the movie frida was really some kind of infatuation with another culture, perhaps some exoticization, that i was able to explore while abroad. as i've been discussing with RP#2 (for those of you who know who that is), the experience was really one of the happiest times in my life, and has now become some sort of reference point for my happiness. so if frida is to that experience and that culture that was not my own which i have in some way tried to stealorsubvert, then angels in america represents that cultural reference point for my own culture. there is so much in it with which i identify, besides the fact that both the play/screen-writing and movie production/acting are unbelievable--i think that is why i've become so obsessed with it.

in the same way that learning from other cultures helps us learn about our own, i think thinking about/learningfrom/analyzing other people's psyches allows us to gain insight into our own. now that my psychotic roommate has stopped talking to me as well, i think a greater understanding of how my other two roommates have dealt with this happening to them informs my own reaction to the situation. although i am definitely in general a rather non-confrontational person, i think seeing other people react to the same situation in a non-confrontational manner makes me realize the necessity of confrontation in certain (this) situation. can't really explain any further...we'll see....

but anyway, this week has been pretty good- actually today was quite excellent. except for my purchase of a "good fortune" salad at CTB to eat in the car, without the requisite purchase of a fork. but the name of that salad was pretty accurate today- i successfully scammed the campus store, bought this hip-and-slightlybutnottoohipsteresque wallet


hip-and-slightlybutnottoohipsteresque wallet

which was made by an indonesian community ngo that works with poor folks to create a practical form of recycled/found art, had lunch with some friends and later in the day had my first day of esl tutoring.

i had a lot to say when i started this post, but after spending nearly 30 minutes struggling to post picture of said wallet on server so i could link it here, i'm now quite tired, and will write more soon.

a final note, however, includes a lovely, calm, unproductive weekend, which included a brief yet nice pamela means performance at the around-the-corner abc cafe as well as some soothing twig tea and a viewing of annie hall was nice.....