Let's stop using 'maybe' because it means 'no'
It seems that when people want to stop trolls on a website, they turn to only allowing a positive message to be shared. At first, I agreed with this somewhat, but then realized if you don't allow the negative in, then some aspect of the positive gets co-opted to become the negative. I mean, you can't really define the positive without the negative, so they both have to be there. But there's one other outcome of artificially skewing the positive which is the overuse of "maybe".
I've found that the US loves "maybe". It's not negative and it's not positive. It's completely noncommittal which is great for people who always want to portray an image of either being open to everything or being part of everything. Having the "maybe" allows them to do just this while fitting in a teeth whitening session around their daily activities and it allows Americans the ability to look like positive can-do people while actually being some of the flakiest people in the world.
I say end the "maybe" because really, it means "no". Let's face it, it's either "yes, I can do/come to that" or everything else. I can't count the number of times I've been part of some Evite or Meetup where there are a third "yes", a third "no" and a third "maybe". How can you plan an event other than to assume that all those "maybe" are actually "no" and if they were to show up (they never do), you just have to tell them, "Well, I didn't know you were coming."
I've actually written in to the support teams at both these groups to allow "maybe" to be taken out if you're constructing an event. They refuse to do it which is ridiculous. I think Evite even wrote back to me along the lines of, "We appreciate your feedback, but the majority of our users prefer the 'maybe' option." That's fine. Anyone who wants to use it can, but I just want to get rid of it on what I'm doing so that planning is actually possible instead of trying to generate an illusory buzz about your event.
I have to admit that the Plague of Maybe is something which is much more predominant in the bigger cities in the US. In my hometown if someone doesn't want to attend something, they'll say, "No, I'm not coming. It sounds gay and I think you're a asshole." While blunt, I appreciate this so much more than a "maybe". So come on, let's stop using "maybe".
26 08 2009 2 comments
Tags: internet, language, us america
Viewing your Digital Persona
Curious what your online persona stacks up to be? Then check out Personas. It's a very cool MIT-based project that is not only interesting, but also looks quite good showing that form and function can indeed co-exist.
Mine is a bit too small to see, but "online" makes up about a third of it, which seems maybe a bit too little. I have no idea why 10% of it is "sports". The "fame" at 10% probably comes from having a profile on IMDb and "genealogy" from having set up an account on Geni as well as possibly, hudin.org, which I really need to redesign someday when I get the chance. Apparently I am also "social" as well as doing "design". Pretty cool really.
21 08 2009 2 comments
Tags: online, persona
I'm huge in Cape Coast
Yup, sure enough, when walking up the stairs to the top of the lighthouse that is Fort William in Cape Coast, Ghana, I discovered that they were cut for someone a good deal shorter. I had to duck the who way up. Thankfully I got a photo to show some of the experience. I feel fortunate at times for being tall, albeit most of my height is in my Slavic forehead.
17 08 2009 0 comments
Tags: cpae coast, ghana, im huge, in to africa
Single American dudes, if you're lonely, head to Cape Coast, Ghana
Man, I am so thankful that I'm married and don't have to think about these things anymore, but for any single guys out there who are feeling a bit lonely in the US, don't spend money on internet dating or strippers. Buy a plane ticket to Accra and then haul your ass over to Cape Coast. Now, I realize that this may seem random, but all I see are piles of American girls in the restaurants doing internships or whatever and there are no guys around. This is the single scene any loser in the US could hope for. While I have no damn to give as what you do, here might be some helpful pointers:
The Accent
First of all, these girls are more than likely not going to want to meet an American. They're here for a few weeks or months getting their "International, African experience" for their resumes and most likely they have an American guy back home. Pointer: fake an accent. Try something from Southern Europe and make it sleazy. Try and keep it generic and chat the girls up a bit to figure out somewhere where they haven't been. If you can get away with Sicily, great, as you can make any kind of tacky Godfather references you want to. Really, if you've gone all the way to Ghana to meet American women, you should have no shame in doing this, so go with it. Be warned though that if you take advantage of the next point, this goes to hell.
Passport Stamps
Any girl in Ghana is a "world traveler" and you can better have the entry and exit stamps to back it up. If you don't, fake them. I have no idea where to get "fake" passport stamps, but again, your shame is non-existent, so work on this. Keep in mind that a stamp showing-swap is the first step to bigger and better swaps.
Keep a Diary
If you've gone with the fake accent, this is great because you can write some crap "dialect" in the diary that is nonsense. If not, you will have to write real stuff in English and that could nearly be work. Watch the diary angle closely. Bring a couple of them too, making sure to rough them up and look travel-worn. I recommend Moleskins even though Miquel Rius are better just because any "thinker" from the US writes in Moleskins. Make sure you only write your sweet nothings about one girl per diary.
Ghanaian Clothes
You gotta get something "African" like a shirt made out of the cloths they produce. I recommend the Obama shirt which I'll hopefully be able to hunt down. If you wuss out on the full shirt, go for a scarf, but whatever you do, don't go for the vest. Outside of hipster circles, vests get you no pootie.
Love the Children
Wherever you walk, kids will want to cling on to you. I find it sweet, but there's a reason that I'm married. You are single and you need to make sure you walk around and test out your reactions with the kids before you make some kid of awkward moves in from of a girl. A couple of test "kiddings" in more remote areas of town where the girls don't venture are highly recommended. Just remember that if there's no love for the African children and no love for you.
Also on this note, make sure to stage some photos of you hugging children and being generally interested in "stuff" in the country (a sad, compassionate face at the Door of no Return is a good start) and have these sitting on your digital camera to show any girl your casually start talking to.
Talk the Talk
Say things such as, "we need to shed light on the problems", "let's work to empower these people", or my favorite, "I came because I wanted to give something back". All of these statements are full or crap, but really, so are you, so let it fly like kids throwing dried cow turds in Iowa.
Keep in mind over everything else that if you really do fly to Ghana to hook up with American women, you really don't have much going on. You should go to any depths to get laid (short of anything illegal, pervert) and again, have no shame. Maybe I'm wrong and there are scores of dudes that are workaholics, hiding out in the offices somewhere, but it sure doesn't look like it and the odds are better here for a straight American loser than just about anywhere else in the world, even San Francisco.
12 08 2009 0 comments
Tags: ghana, in to africa, us america
I'm like totally not here at the moment
While I might post something more on the almighty Hudin, I'm currently traveling in Ghana, which means that I'm writing the other blog, Subsaharska where I've got a number of posts going. The country has been good to me so far and I hope it keeps going that way. Ultimately I'm here for the Maker Faire Africa which is shaping up to kick some serious ass from the 14th-16th. You can join in on some of the fun virtually though by checking out the new Focus Page feature we've worked in to Maneno. It can be viewed at www.maneno.org/makerfaireafrica Share the link. Share the fun.
10 08 2009 0 comments
Tags: ghana, in to africa
The American expat in Africa
It's always a strange thing to meet those from your own country when visiting another country. Some people love it. I oft times avoid it. Obviously when in Europe, this happens a great deal as many Americans go to Europe. Of course, it's not often the case that I mingle with them so much as there are the rare few who like to travel the way that I do. Let me emphasize that it's not necessarily the right way to travel, but it works for me and I like it.
Once you cross one of those bodies of water (whether it be Mediterranean or Atlantic) and head in to Africa, the amount of Americans sluffs off a great deal. It's such a smaller amount and the type of travel in Africa so different that the logical assumption would be that those of us who make it here would have a great deal more in common. The image of the intrepid explorer, pith helmet tucked under the arm, watching gazelles give birth, delving in the "wilds" of Africa tucked in our minds.
But amazingly, this is not the case. It's hard to describe other than to say that the majority of Americans I've met in Africa are well, strange. There seems to be this focus on, "What I have discovered here is mine. You can't have it, but I'll tell you about it. Wait, no, don't come! This is mine!" It's almost like Americans who make it to Africa feel as if they got in too late in that Colonial carve-up and that they are belatedly discovering something that is unknown.
It is the case that there are some well-known Americans based in Africa who would be, quite honestly, no one but a number in a cubicle in the US were they there. I mean, let's face it, most of us in the US are indeed just that number, myself included. But in Africa, they are stars. Now, it would be ridiculous to base an entire conclusion on these examples alone, but the people I've met outside of these prominent few that I know of, but on the ground, I have yet to dispell this conception, especially seeing more of my country folk in Ghana. Okay, there are one or two Americans I know who are in Africa a lot that are quite cool, but they're actually everywhere in the world a lot, so they're somewhat of a different camp.
I'm not really sure if these "turdy" Americans started out this way or it came about over time. I'm a bit worried that they didn't start out this way in which case I really need to watch my ass and stay open-minded as I travel to Sub-Saharan Africa more. I can't feel immediately threatened and start urinating around this chunk of African space that I define as mine like this graduate student from San Francisco did the minute I started talking with her and she found out that I'm also from San Francisco and might best her at her own game.
I'm just thankful that I have #1 Fan as well as fans numbered 2-5 (dare I say, 5?) who can kick me in the ass if I start going the way of these fellow Yanks with whom I'm become so perturbed.
09 08 2009 0 comments
Tags: expats, in to africa
Visiting the one and only Capmany
Capmany (the 'ny' is just like an ñ and is not 'many') is your typical village up in the northeastern reaches of Catalonia. You wind along some twisty road in the hills and suddenly you see the church spire, shortly followed by the rest of the town. The roofs are red. The walls are brown. Everything about the village fits in with the hills from which is emerges. I experienced something quite similar when visiting Cantallops last winter.
It's hard to really say what there is to see in these villages because rarely is there any one site that is a must-see. Instead, it's the charm of the village that is alluring above all else. Capmany is no different. There are nice little restaurants and a miniature church in the middle of town. A public fountain that probably had excellent spring water at one point is there too. There are also a number of guesthouses for people to stay at who are looking for the slow life of the village.
More than anything else in Capmany though is the fact that there is a lot of wine in the area. I don't even know how many wineries there are, but probably more than you can cover in a one day visit. One that I checked out was Celler Arché Pagès which I'll do a more proper review of when I have time to go through all my notes. In short, they make good wine up in Capmany though. I guess it just adds to the overall charm of the place if you can get drunk on the local alcohol.
If you'd like to see a bit more of the village, take a look at the gallery that I put together.
07 08 2009 0 comments
Tags: catalonia, the europe, wine
Because the best waters come from goats
Whenever out eating in Catalonia, it is often the case that when ordering water, it will be water from Solán de Cabras or basically, "spring of the goats". Oddly enough, as fancy, schmany water goes, it does taste pretty good. It's just unfortunate that basically no one in Spain drinks the tap water for some reason as that is free. Admittedly, it doesn't taste amazing, but you can drink it or so it seems to me. But no, everyone, when out, they need their goat water in its fancy blue bottles.
06 08 2009 0 comments
Tags: better buying, catalonia, spain, water
La Tramuntana, you are the devil's fart
La Tramuntana is a wicked, wicked thing. It is for all purposes, a wind. It's a wind that blows across the Empordà plain in the far northeastern corner of the Catalan province. But it is like no other wind. It blows straight down from the Pyrenees that the plain sits at the base of. It blows all the time. It doesn't matter if it's summer or winter. But yes, it will be blowing no matter what the time of year.
In the winter is probably the nastiest as I experienced last year. It's this nasty, shrill cold that when it hits you just right, it pierces every cell. It brings rain that flies at you sideways and sometimes, even snow. It makes the cold winter of Catalonia all the colder.
In the summer, La Tramuntana is a mixed bag. At times it can be refreshing, dusting off the heat and humidity of an otherwise overbearing day. Those are the good days. The bad days are when it kicks up all kinds of dust and doesn't cool anything, just making it feel like you've stuck your head in a blow dryer for kicks. The worst are the nights when it bangs around everything on the house no matter what you do to try and lock everything down. There will always be some loose piece of a ribbon that gets continually slammed in to the side of the house with the force of a wrecking ball, keeping you awake.
In case you didn't get my gist, I hate this damned wind which probably makes me an honorary local to curse at something I have no control over. If you spend all your time in Catalonia running around Barcelona, you'll never get a taste of it. Well, that's not true. About 20-25 minutes before you land at BCN airport, you'll probably get tossed around a little bit. I believe that that is the work of La Tramuntana. It makes me realize that I could never live in this bastard for any length of time, thus completely legitimizing my need to find a place to live in Barcelona for that day I finally get to move to Spain permanently.
Oh, sorry for all the Catalan Wikipedia links. There isn't too much on this wind in English. Use Google Translate for some good times.
