Well, I've decided to get back into the blogging game. I know this may come as a shock to some, and you may be asking yourself, why would you do such a thing, Daniel? I thought you just created this blog for when you were abroad, what are you gonna write about now? And don't you know that blogging is kinda gay? Allow me to respond to your various inquiries individually:
A) You're right, I did originally start this blog for my time studying in London. It was a good way to avoid having to answer the same questions over and over again. I could just direct anyone who was curious about my adventures to check out the ole blog to find out what I was up to, and I also figured it'd be nice to be able to look back on it in the future as a sort of memoir or journal of my experiences overseas. I planned to stop posting once I got home, but after a couple of months I've decided to bring it back (with a vengeance). I've kind of been trying to figure out what I'd like to do with my life, since I'll be graduating next spring, and I do enjoy writing. I've also been told that I'm fairly decent at it, so I figured I might as well get back in the groove in case I ever decide to seriously consider some type of writing-based career. It probably won't lead anywhere, but its a pretty good way to kill time when I could be doing more productive things. Additionally, I'm just pretentious enough that I think that what I have to say is worth being recorded so that all humanity, present and future, may drink deeply from the fountain of my wisdom. So question one... nailed.
B) What am I gonna write about now? I wish I knew. I have no real plans for this thing, I just decided to start writing again on a whim. I figure I'll try to take things that I notice or experience and connect those specifics into more general musings on politics, society, culture, whatevs.
For example, over the weekend I went to the Sox game with three comrades and before the game we were hanging around in the parking lot polishing off a case of beverages. As we were sitting there, a rather grimey looking fellow came up and started asking us whether we'd been questioned by any authorities regarding our drinking activities, considering the fact although we were all of legal age, we looked young enough to maybe arouse suspicion. We had not been, and the gentleman explained that he was constantly being harassed by The Man and had just the other day been maltreated for doing the exact same thing we were doing, even though he was obviously significantly older than us. However, because we were a few Polo wearing white kids from the suburbs, we were left alone, while an older, moderately grungy African-American guy is constantly harassed. We agreed that this was pretty unfair, but the best/worst part of the story was that as we were talking to the guy about his plight, a U.S. Cellular Field security guard (who need to carry guns, apparently) rolled up in a golf cart behind our new friend and began questioning him. The security guard proceeded to ask us if the guy was giving us any trouble, but the guard did not feel it necessary to ask if four drinkers of a youthful persuasion were of legal age. As the great lyricist Zach De La Rocha once said, "The structure is sick, can't change it with a ballot pull."
And Finally, as for the third question,
C) Blogging isn't gay.
That's it then, folks, the first non-abroad related blog post. Hope it was enjoyable. Also, here's a couple of songs and links I've enjoyed lately.
The Black Keys- Tighten Up: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mpaPBCBjSVc
-amazing song, amazing video.
From Foreign Policy, about China's growth: http://www.foreignpolicy.com/articles/2010/08/16/chicago_on_the_yangtze?page=full "In Britain, the birthplace of the Industrial Revolution, there are only two cities with a population of more than 1 million; in the United States, there are just 10 such cities. But already in China, there are 43 cities of more than 1 million, and by 2030 there will be 221, the McKinsey Global Institute predicts." Ridiculous. We're so fucked.
