outrage

in the wake of something as catastrophic as a natural disaster, especially the cyclone that recently devastated Myanmar; the first logical step would be to let the people who specialize in helping after such events in to do their jobs.

Yet, day after day I read more reports of the junta denying aid that is essentially being laid out before them; the international community has stepped up by raising and allocating millions in aid dollars to help a country that at this point cannot help itself. Why is this isolationist regime more worried about getting votes on a referendum that would give them more power then helping those they rule? I understand that we don't have the best track record when it comes to foreign policy, and that for a time we supported the Monroe Doctrine, as we too opposed colonialism...but come on...what good is ardently supporting a policy if the end result is negligence on a massive scale?

why does this feel like a cover up? why did the gov't only estimate that 22,000 people were killed and now reports are saying that in all likelihood it's closer to 100,000+? Why is their gov't utilizing resources to chase out journalists instead of helping distribute aid and begin restoring their infrastructure? why are visas being blocked left and right and any aid that has been delivered being unused because of where it came from?

Disasters happen, and as our climate changes (causes TBD) they're going to be more and more frequent...no one is blaming the gov't for the cyclone--that's ridiculous, but the way they're handling or mishandling the efforts of the international aid community to help makes me outraged.

snowboarding

The thugged out ballerinas of ice and snow glide gracefully through their frozen playground like packs of wild dogs, feeding off each others' energy, going bigger, faster, pushing their limits, all the while howling with delight.

Baggy jerseys, oversized pants and bandannas ruffle as the frigid air rips across the mountain; all that is seen is the surgical focus in their eyes as rails are hit and landings stomped. Rare is the sight of anger or frustration, for free riding is just that...free--free from judgment and constraints of life off the mountain; life melts away as the growling wind rushes past their ears as they sail, weightless through the air in graceful arcs, spinning and tweaking their bodies. The combination of power and raw athleticism that produces something so fluid and smooth seems extraordinary, until you strap in yourself and immediately understand that it could be no other way.

and now for something completely different...

Early this morning I finally had "the talk" with Ken, my Peace Corps recruiter; I say finally because this man travels more then most salespeople do, and getting him on the phone was a tad more difficult then I had anticipated. So we talked.

Long story short, it doesn't look like Jeremey will be off to join the Peace Corps anytime soon and to be honest I'm a little relieved. I know that sounds weird but the further I got in "the process" the more I realized (and forgive the jargon about to be used) it was like jamming a round peg into a square hole...it ain't gonna work. What I'm looking to do and the types of programs and opportunities they offer didn't really synch...I mean, the computer literacy teacher position in E. Mungambo was tempting but somehow I wasn't drawn to it...weird. Or the vague "community service" positions in Asia and Europe didn't entice me either. I'm starting to think my heart wasn't in it at all...

Seriously though....wtf? I know that the types of positions offered are based on the needs of the individual countries, but it's Africa...you're telling me that a continent ravaged by decades of civil and political unrest, where genocide is an unfortunate fact of daily life and many go without for months at a time and they're telling me, that what they need most is an f'ing Computer Literacy teacher? Really? Now call me negative Nancy if you want but I'm pretty sure access to food and water on a consistent basis and not living in constant fear for their lives ranks a little higher then being taught how to network their computers (oh yeah, all those computers and laptops that are lying around that people are im'ing on as they're fleeing their homes--right). Call me bitter but I find it frustrating, as it completely destroys my tentative plan...which blows because for me to have a plan in the first place is pretty incredible.

so yeah...the Peace Corps, it didn't work out and now like a bitter ex-lover I spout my pain to the masses and grieve publicly...I haven't hit the ben & jerry's yet but it's day-to-day...then after that messy break-up conversation I went to Buttermilk and hit the park like a champion until I destroyed myself a couple times...

I'm going to bed.

Update

Greetings and Salutations,

I hope this update finds you in good spirits with plenty of whatever you need close at hand. It's been a minute since my last update and to buck my trend of creative writing entries, I thought I would go crazy and try a going a little expository on that ass....aw, word.

Anyway, it's now day 5 in my latest saga...yes that's right; for the past 5 days I have been without heat or hot water and it pretty much sucks as bad as it sounds. Winter is cold. A house without heat, situated on a mountain in the middle of winter in the rocky mountains is cold. To relieve the bone-chilling temperature that the house has plummeted to most would turn to the shower...the refuge of the perpetually cold....ah, but that's right--no hot water. boo.

so my hair is greasy, my dirty clothes are piling up and shaving without the use of hot water is ripping my face apart...yea!

It's surprised me how much this has affected my general demeanor...I've been dirty before; in fact, I've gone days without bathing under conditions far smellier then this and been regular ol'me...this though, has definitely put me off my game a bit and it's annoying because the woman who owns the house hasn't been staying here while this ordeal has been going on...come rent time I believe I have what is commonly referred to as a "trump card."

so yeah, I'm cold and dirty but on the lighter side of things, one of my favorite people is coming to town in a couple of days and then two weeks from now I'm going to see some friends from NYC who're going to be in Breck. Man, my life in NYC seems like another lifetime...now that is truly crazy.

YYYYYYYYYYEEEEEEEEEEEAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!

Last night I was chillin at the bar after work enjoying a few moments of couch sitting in a posh environment...really quite nice and because I knew everyone working in the bar, I stayed after they shut the doors to continue partying...again, a nice perk.

About 10 mins after the doors were shut I see Lil' John at the door acting all crazy wanting to be let in so he could party. No dice. The bar manager and pretty much everyone in the bar nixed the idea and he had to go find someplace else to party. This happened two other times when some pro snowboarders and skiers (JJ Thomas and Peter Olenick) tried to get in.

I felt pretty pimp...but it would've been cool to have partied with them...I bet I'd be feeling a lot worse today if the night had gone that different direction.

Ah....the X-Games.

an unexpected surprise

Remember when you were younger, and would wake up extra early on Christmas morning just to rush downstairs and marvel at the pristine pile of gifts that awaited your greedy little hands? How still the morning was; how absolutely packed with possiblity all those objects seemed to be bursting with?

Well, that's how I feel everytime I glide away from a chairlift, one foot secured to a board that, in my mind has the ability to transform an innoxious mountain run into a playground.

Two days ago I received an unexpected gift from the snowboarding gods...it came in the form of a lip at the end of a catwalk that I sighted from the chair I was riding. Currently I am making attempts to dial in the elusive 360...the gateway trick to snowboarding radness. What this means is that I will throw myself off any and all jumps in an attempt to bring my "game" to the next level. I have been met with mixed results thus far but what happened on this magical day casts a large shadow over all previous attempts.

...I won't bore you with the details...I landed a 540. What that means is that I did one and a half rotations and stomped the landing. OMG! It was one of those moments when it takes a second to fully realize the extent of your awesomeness...and then once that moment wears off, the only thing to do is to look around and make sure someone saw it. I needed a witness to coorborate my foray into the unknown world of advanced snowboarding trick-o-logy; that and I wanted to brag to someone that I did a trick that was WAY beyond anything that any of us had tried.

In hignsight, I realize how much luck was involved in landing said 5...but it's added fuel to the fire and I will continue to throw myself from kickers and catwalks alike until I have mastered the body control needed to land 3's and 5's with my eyes closed.

The jury's still out as to whether or not this is a good thing.

New addition

With the delivery of my gear mere days away, I went out and completed the ensemble with these...if you can't tell by the camo, I'm pretty thugged out.

They're stiff as hell and make riding a lot different in a really good way; now I count down the seconds until I can put these puppies into some real bindings.

I am excited.