In case nobody’s noticed my site has been completely revamped and, dare I say, restored to 100% functionality. Much thanks to my stalwart sibling for fixing it all, installing the theme, and patiently letting me pick the perfect wallpaper. Also, the blogroll has been updated with blogs that are actually updated, including Charlie Dunhoff, an ALT who lives in Sarufutsu’s neighbouring town of Hamatonbetsu, where Chris and I normally embarked upon numerous shenanigans. He’s a prolific writer and includes lots of photos, so it’s definitely well worth a looksee.
Also, the archives now work! Hurrah!
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Something else which is obvious to everyone but me, but losing a friend sucks! A very good friend of mine recently left for the sunny scandinavian polar regions and for a few days I’ve wondered what this empty, icky feeling was. At first I thought it might have been the spaghetti I made for dinner, but then I realised that I was actually sad. Genuinely, egte waarde sad.
Most times I’m unleashed into a public environment I find that what I think and what I say are often completely different, and not intentionally so! If I want to be offensive, I damned well can do that consciously without needing to trip over myself. So I find myself in the tragically ridiculous positions of feeling remorse for the offensive things I say which aren’t deliberate, but unable to express the difference between those and the offensive things I say which I do mean. This, because it’s important that people know when I’m being genuinely offensive and when I’m just talking kak.
Regardless, my theme for the month has been all about figuring out how to express myself more accurately. This isn’t a new thing by any means of historical breakthrough, and philosophers have been ruminating on the problem for centuries. Put simply, language as we know it is incredibly restrictive. The more one’s vocabulary improves the more one realises its confinements. As much as I want to express an idea or emotional reaction to something in verbal or written form, it’ll always be restricted by the syntax of English and of my own language ability. It’s annoying, and there should damned well be a better way by now!
But enough about my vocal frustrations! Back in the normal world I’m still waiting on my MA application to come back (last time I checked it’d been upgraded to “RECEIVED” status), while I’m increasingly warming to the idea of full time study, my potential research interests have narrowed to two: Conflict Resolution in Central African Crises (probably use Congo as a case study) or Piracy in the Gulf of Aden. Both are incredibly interesting to me and are rich Strategic Studies picking grounds. While international institutions focus on Chinese Information Warfare, the ability (or lack thereof) of the Israelis to bomb Iran and other such topics, I can shneak into the pages of academic fame by the backdoor, as it were.
I think all of the above could also be greatly inspired by my current book: Heart of Darkness. It’s proving pretty damned good so far, but so far Hemingway still takes the top spot.
For my international friends, some pictures of Wits, my intended academic home for 2009:
The Wits Lawns
Senate House - My department would be on the 2nd floor to the right
Also, my favourite song of the month – Woman King by Iron and Wine:
It’s been two and a half years since I last posted something here. Ironic, given the tens of thousands of words sitting in a beloved thesis.tex document, deep in the inside of the machine somewhere. Partly, academic writing has a way of killing the ability to just play with words. Everything needs a claim, evidence, […]
"I come in peace, I didn't bring artillery. But I am pleading with you with tears in my eyes: If you fuck with me, I'll kill you all."
- Marine Corps General James Mattis, to Iraqi tribal leaders
