Yes, Vinny, I stole your icon.
Sep. 3rd, 2007 09:08 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
tsukikageJust finished Never Let Me Go, a book by Kazuo Ishiguro which really wasn't all that great - a "Netflix" on the Anime Pulse rating scale. I mean, the writing was good, and it had some potential, but in the end it was just a rather boring read. I think I'm gonna put it with my books to sell or donate or whatever.
By the way, on the light rail tonight there were to Somalian (?) girls sitting behind me wearing burqas (forgive me if I misuse the term) and chatting. Then as soon as they got off at one of the stops, the guy on the bench across from mine starts talking about how that's not even their ethnic costume, and how, although he's not a communist, when they were under communist rule they wore Western clothing, and it only became popular after they were made to wear them with the Arabs took over, and "Can you believe it?", or something like that. Now, I may have misunderstood, but he said all this like he thought they had some gall to wear such clothing, whether it was because he thought they should all blend in, or because he thought you should only wear clothes that were actual national costumes if you're not going to wear normal Western clothes, but I don't really know. In any case, I didn't want to say too much, both because I'm not that educated when it comes to these things, but I tried to explain that I believed it was religious clothing, not an "ethnic costume" (although certainly in countries where such clothing has always been worn for religious purposes it could also be considered an ethnic costume, I imagine), and that whether or not they were forced to wear the clothes when the Arabians took over (did they?), communism has never been a big supporter of religion so it would make sense that those under a communist controlled country wouldn't wear religious garb publicly, whether they had the desire to or not. In any case, he didn't seem to be listening to what I was saying, and again went on about "when they were under communist rule and women had power". Actually, when I think about it now, his issue may have been one of feminism, which makes some sense since from the brief encounter I had with him he dressed like he was college-educated, and for what difference it makes, he was black. Still, if he was indeed educated, why didn't he know the difference between ethnic costume and religious garb?
Aaaanyways.
First school night of the year. I'm strangely less pumped about school starting than I have been in the past. Perhaps just because I'm getting older and don't get pumped about things as easily. I have a number of other theories, but that's the one I hope is closest to being true. In any case, I hope to get to bed early tonight (lights out by 11), and maybe get to the U early to take care of some things (like depositing some money at TCF, talking to the UDS managers about my Friday work schedule, and getting a locker at the rec center). I also have to pick up some stuff at the bookstore (my Russian lit books, bio lab book, a new eraser stick, and a new set of headphones since the $3 ones I got from NWA are crapping out on me royally), but I'll probably wait until after my first bio lecture, since I'm hoping I can get by with my bio lab book I bought for Summer '06, rather than spending $43 on a new one which I imagine only differs in terms of the homework/lab schedule printed in front, which I can probably just photocopy from someone else or print off some website.
As for the stuffy nose, it's cleared up a little bit. Not as much as I had hoped, though.
By the way, I'm still taking applications for an exercise buddy. I'd even be willing to have an out-of-water buddy, as long as we avoided the treadmills and stuck to the stationary bikes and stairmasters. *winks at![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
carve037*
By the way, on the light rail tonight there were to Somalian (?) girls sitting behind me wearing burqas (forgive me if I misuse the term) and chatting. Then as soon as they got off at one of the stops, the guy on the bench across from mine starts talking about how that's not even their ethnic costume, and how, although he's not a communist, when they were under communist rule they wore Western clothing, and it only became popular after they were made to wear them with the Arabs took over, and "Can you believe it?", or something like that. Now, I may have misunderstood, but he said all this like he thought they had some gall to wear such clothing, whether it was because he thought they should all blend in, or because he thought you should only wear clothes that were actual national costumes if you're not going to wear normal Western clothes, but I don't really know. In any case, I didn't want to say too much, both because I'm not that educated when it comes to these things, but I tried to explain that I believed it was religious clothing, not an "ethnic costume" (although certainly in countries where such clothing has always been worn for religious purposes it could also be considered an ethnic costume, I imagine), and that whether or not they were forced to wear the clothes when the Arabians took over (did they?), communism has never been a big supporter of religion so it would make sense that those under a communist controlled country wouldn't wear religious garb publicly, whether they had the desire to or not. In any case, he didn't seem to be listening to what I was saying, and again went on about "when they were under communist rule and women had power". Actually, when I think about it now, his issue may have been one of feminism, which makes some sense since from the brief encounter I had with him he dressed like he was college-educated, and for what difference it makes, he was black. Still, if he was indeed educated, why didn't he know the difference between ethnic costume and religious garb?
Aaaanyways.
First school night of the year. I'm strangely less pumped about school starting than I have been in the past. Perhaps just because I'm getting older and don't get pumped about things as easily. I have a number of other theories, but that's the one I hope is closest to being true. In any case, I hope to get to bed early tonight (lights out by 11), and maybe get to the U early to take care of some things (like depositing some money at TCF, talking to the UDS managers about my Friday work schedule, and getting a locker at the rec center). I also have to pick up some stuff at the bookstore (my Russian lit books, bio lab book, a new eraser stick, and a new set of headphones since the $3 ones I got from NWA are crapping out on me royally), but I'll probably wait until after my first bio lecture, since I'm hoping I can get by with my bio lab book I bought for Summer '06, rather than spending $43 on a new one which I imagine only differs in terms of the homework/lab schedule printed in front, which I can probably just photocopy from someone else or print off some website.
As for the stuffy nose, it's cleared up a little bit. Not as much as I had hoped, though.
By the way, I'm still taking applications for an exercise buddy. I'd even be willing to have an out-of-water buddy, as long as we avoided the treadmills and stuck to the stationary bikes and stairmasters. *winks at
carve037*
![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png){kind=small}
no subject
Date: 2007-09-04 06:16 am (UTC)I may be able to get you one for spring semester...
*vanishes in a poof of vague mysteria...*
no subject
Date: 2007-09-04 06:17 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2007-09-04 06:28 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2007-09-04 06:29 am (UTC)