Posts (page 2)
I feel like for the last 3 months, I've been traveling in a strange but familiar land, living in a really bad hotel, with a crazy lady.
I'm not sure if this is like that what you learned in kindergarten book where the life lessons in your first year of school are great and should be applied to the rest of your life. But this is what I learned in public school and maybe some of it is useful and some of it is not.
1. Don't stand out too much. Don't raise your hand all the time or the other students will think you are a teachers pet. Play down your intelligence so that it doesn't threaten people. Don't kiss ass. Other people will hate it.
2. Stand up for yourself. Let folks know that you aren't going to put up with any nonsense. Stand up for yourself even if you are outmatched. Maybe someone else will step in and stand up for you if you can't do it alone.
3. Stick up for other people. This is a good way to build allies.
4. Be yourself. Don't worry about being popular. People will come to you.
5. Be known for something. Better to be known for something than to be ignored.
6. Respect people who respect you.
There's probably more here. Those of you who went to public school in an urban area can add to this.
I've always been fascinated by the Greek goddess Athena. I don't really know why. I remember reading about her in the sixth grade and thinking 'Wow! An ass-kicker and smart!'. I guess Athena embodies many of the characteristics that I admire. She's the goddess of war and the goddess of wisdom. She also is associated with an owl. And oh my goodness! My capoeira name is Coruja which means owl. And that's how I want to be in capoeira--a wise, fierce ass-kicker. Wanna learn more about Athena? Check this link. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Athena#Overview.
Caveats
1. Just had a super frustrating capoeira class which can happen anywhere : )
2. Still at my mom's house
3. Got an email of a Women in Capoeira event and a Hip Hop event that I totally want to go to that's happening in NYC
4. Way to early to make a decision and know what my life will be like
5. I have had a few experiences where I thought 'this is great!' : )
Thoughts
1. I feel like I'm making two choices-comfortable life vs. life rich in experiences. With those two choices I'll take the life rich in experiences even if that means that I'm less comfortable
2. Why I left--I felt like NYC was the same old same old. Like I had gotten all I could get. Like it wasn't worth it anymore. I was super lonely. I didn't appreciate the art, the movies, the capoeira, all of my experiences. I didn't appreciate the people. The daily grind was getting to me.
3. Now that I'm back in the bay I do appreciate the things that NYC has to offer. There are just some things you can't get in the Bay.
4. I forgot all my irritations with the people in the Bay. I love the Bay, but dang 1) flakeyness 2) lazyness 3) too PC
6. I feel like NYC is one extreeme and the Bay is another. It's easier to say no to things than to create things and get people to do stuff
7. I didn't leave NYC because I hated it. I left because I was super lonely and burnt.
8. I really miss the people I met in NYC. They were interesting. Even the assholes were interesting. Right now, I feel like I'm around people who play it safe and are boring.
9. I really miss being around creative people who were adventurous. Most of the people I was around in NYC were open to adventures and were artists in one form or another.
I love the Bay and San Francisco is my home but sometimes. . .Check out this blog. It's right on point. . .http://stuffwhitepeoplelike.wordpress.com/.
Different Ethnicities That I've Been Mistaken For:
1. Mexican
2. Egyptian
3. Brazilian
4. Puerto Rican
5. Moroccan
6. East Indian
7. Arab
8. Dominican
9. Colombian
I came across this link when I was looking for Capoeira Omolu's Homepage. Still haven't found that but I'm definitely going to check this place out. http://www.capoeirasj.com/museum/about.html
