Lamo Me -- 2003 -- I ... Wanted ... To...

 A Slice in time---Spring Quarter 2003

    As I write this, I become self-aware of my tastes in reading, writing, and perspectives from the mass media. At this point, I will make a short list of what is going on with my brain and studies. I am finishing my Masters in Latin American Studies at the University of California at Los Angeles, living in a first story apartment, two bedrooms, two baths, across a parking lot from the University Village Day Care Facility right next to the 405 freeway, south of the 10 Interstate Interchange. We are, in effect, between Santa Monica and Culver City, West Los Angeles: just south of Westwood and the LDS temple.

    I have been reading the Los Angeles Times daily newspaper since January or so. My two-year subscription of the Economist ran out some time in February of this year. I did a fairly good job of keeping up with that and enjoyed the challenge and the pleasure of that commitment, started as a high school teacher (fall of 2000) and finished my penultimate quarter of this current degree. I have also read the daily paper pretty well, especially during the Iraqi conflict. 

    I am reading a few books at present, a series of lectures and interviews with Michel Foucault from 1977-84, a book call the White Nile, about the first European explorers of the origins of the Nile. I just (this week) purchased a 47-cent used copy of a book about Pakistan. I have enjoyed the first three chapters so far. There is no particular readings assigned to my Geography 248 class by Allen Scott, but I bought his Regional Economies book for some $20.00, and have done some research for the paper on Hollywood and Latin America, the last paper I need in order to graduate in June (one month from now). 

    I attend a 3^rd quarter Arabic class six hours a week, avoiding much of the homework but staying more or less abreast in class. I also attend an Urban Planning class with Steve Cummins every Monday, also avoiding most of the readings, but learning most of the gist as to how he deals with issues of “Youth”. I attend various lectures of many sorts week to week, and also catch a New Testament class at the Institute every Tuesday and hang out at Bruin Walk almost every Friday. I play basketball every Monday and Thursday at the Sawtelle building around the corner, and attend the UCLA Ward with my family while serving as Co-Chair of the Activities Committee.

    I have enjoyed the NBA playoffs lately as I do every spring, rooting against the Lakers as always, and watch some baseball, too, especially highlights. I watch a good share of news as always, especially during the War (three weeks from March to mid April). I watch some comedy and film on television, but currently watch a steady diet of dramas as follows: Sundays-Alias at 9:00, Mondays-Everwood at 9:00 (with 7^th Heaven preceding if not conflicting with a game), Tuesdays-Judging Amy at 10:00, Thursdays- Friends at 8:00, and Fridays- Ed at 9:00 (although the new episodes have finished for the season, thus maybe I’ll wait for September for this one). I enjoy the acting, characterization, and dialogue of these shows, plus the normally consistent plot developments of the stories. I suppose I do watch a lot, but they seem to contain as much depth as many movies. I would like to hope so any way.

    Giving you this much of a personal profile, it is an indication of my insights and lifestyle, my particular perspectives as for this spring and last official term as a “beginning” graduate student. Recently I have concluded that I will try the “labor” market for a year and if things are not satisfactory as such, I will attempt a Doctorate in Geography somewhere. I won’t discuss my job prospects fully as I see them here, because this does not fit into the question of me as a composite. Sufficient to say, perhaps abroad? Enough of the present and future for now. Back to Mexico, “By way of foot”.