35. Something New Every… Day?

For the first time since I started this experiment, I have done something new every day this week. In my memoir class we’ve been working on food related pieces, which has definitely influenced what I’ve done this week…

Tuesday: I went to the doctor and found out that I have an inflamed nerve ending in my foot. So I’m in a boot for two weeks! That afternoon, I visited the new frozen yogurt place in town and tried salted caramel, passion fruit, and mango froyo. I’ve been converted! Ice cream will have to take a backseat for a while. (Even though I was creambombed on Tuesday night by a friend).

Wednesday: Brunched at The Diner at Bagels by Us in Arlington.

Thursday: Dine at the Capital Grille.

Friday: Ate at the Bangkok Spice Thai Restaurant in Reading.

Saturday: Shopped for a prom dress, participating in that All-American pastime of consumerism. In sharp contrast to last year, when I happened upon a dress online and decided to buy it, this time I hit the racks with a friend for four hours of torture dress shopping. I did end up with a dress, but I’m glad the ordeal is over.

Sunday: Attended an acoustic show at the All Asia and saw performances by Ian West, Nate Shaffer, and Pilcalmio, among others.

Firsts this week:

• See summary above.

34. Water Issues

This past Saturday I attended a benefit dinner hosted by my high school’s chapter of Amnesty International. The purpose of the dinner was to raise money for the Free the Children organization’s Clean Water Initiative.

As part of the event, Professor Shafiqul Islam of Tufts University gave an interesting presentation on thinking and acting toward achieving a water solution. Currently, 1 billion people lack access to clean water around the globe. Tufts has an area of study that they term “water diplomacy,” which combines societal, scientific, and political issues surrounding water. The program emphasizes solving the water problem thorough negotiated solutions. While Professor Islam did touch upon the societal, scientific, and political concerns surrounding water, I was most fascinated by two of his points:

1. Although the quantity of available water is finite, it is a flexible resource.

2. We cannot solve the water problem by thinking and acting as we have in the past– the same thinking that caused the problem in the first place.

As Professor Islam explained, water is a flexible resource. The water from a shower one night can be used to water vegetables the next day, etc. However, we are currently not harnessing water in an efficient manner. Although greywater systems exist, to my knowledge they are not yet widely implemented, at least in this little corner of suburbia. Bad economy aside, shouldn’t a world power such as the United States be doing more to act in an environmentally responsible manner?

Though water itself is flexible, it often is not readily potable. While people generally congregate around areas with water, the water available may be contaminated. To demonstrate “forward thinking and acting,” Professor Islam showed us a video from TEDGlobal 2009, where Michael Pritchard demonstrates the use of his Lifesaver water filtration bottle. I encourage you to check out the ten minute video, which details how the filtration system works to filter contaminants, bacteria, and viruses. Pritchard suggests that technology of this sort could change conventional aid models. Rather than handing out water in an aid camp when a natural disaster strikes, distributing water filtration systems to people could speed up the recovery process, as families could get back to rebuilding their homes.

The presentation definitely brought up some important topics to consider. And I would love to hear what you think! Check out the links, form an opinion, and leave a response in the comment section!

Firsts this Week:

• Heard a lecture on water issues and diplomacy through my high school’s chapter of Amnesty International.

33. Job Interview Practicality and Preparedness

This Sunday I had a job interview for the new frozen yogurt place opening up in town. En route to the interview, I learned a very important lesson in practicality and preparedness.

Starbucks 2:08 p.m. I pulled into the parking lot of the appointed meeting place with seven minutes to spare– two entire minutes of which I spent parking the car. I have found that my confidence is directly related to how well I park the car. What should have been an easy parking maneuver turned into a dance of pulling in, backing out, pulling in again, straightening the car, and still ending up far from parallel. To my embarrassment, there was only one car beside me. I had tons of free space, and I still managed to end up about 30° from parallel. With the clock ticking, I decided it was time to go into the interview. Upon grabbing my résumé, a gust of wind took the document right out of my hands and sent it flying toward the busy intersection beyond the edge of the parking lot.

I must have been quite a spectacle, chasing after a sheet of paper in my stacked heels. Why I wore heels to an interview for a frozen yogurt shop, I cannot say, as heels are as impractical for serving yogurt as they are for running after résumés. In any case, just as I was about to grab it in the parking lot, the wind scooped the paper up again and deposited it at the bottom of a little grassy patch near the intersection. I rescued the document, brushed the sand off the back, and proceeded to the interview. Though my terrible parking job and mad dash ruffled my feathers slightly, I kept myself under control.

During my session, the woman even complimented me on how “smart” I seemed.

The lesson: don’t be that fool who runs after a necessary document in the parking lot. Be prepared, and keep two copies of your résumé with you. And wear practical shoes.

Firsts This Week:

• Chased after a paper in heels, nearly missing my interview
• Saw the play To Kill a Mockingbird

32. Play With Fire

Play with fire: an idiomatic expression meaning to meddle in dangerous situations, as well as the title of the Boston Ballet production I saw this Sunday. Playing with fire is dramatic, seductive, and risky, though there is no greater thrill than reaping its rewards. However, “Play With Fire” flickered and sputtered, leaving only a dull flame in its wake.

The performance consisted of three contemporary works– Sharper Side of Dark, Bella Figura, and Rooster. Each boasted some good moments, but there were few elements that were truly memorable.

Sharper Side of Dark featured massive sets with dozens of mounted lights that lit up as the dancers passed them. Most of the group work was aesthetically pleasing, but watching the piece felt like being in a trance. With the impressive set, I was expecting something much more dynamic to juxtapose with the minimalist costumes.

Bella Figura bills itself as promoting “adoration and reverence towards the human body.” This supposedly controversial piece contains partial nudity, as the dancers wear only long red skirts. While I understand the premise of celebrating the human body, having semi-nude dancers seemed like a decision for the sake of a shock factor rather than an artistic decision. It didn’t add to the choreography, and the message could have been clearer.

The third piece was Rooster, which was set to eight classic Rolling Stones songs. This work was the most dynamic, however some of the costume decisions were baffling. The women wore black and red dresses that resembled a cross between a cheerleader’s uniform and pleated schoolgirl skirt. Of the eight dances, the best were “Ruby Tuesday,” “Sympathy for the Devil,” and “Paint It Black,” in that order. “Ruby Tuesday” made the show, with its wild lifts and partnering. Though the show wasn’t necessarily as beautiful as previous performances I’ve seen, it was still worth the experience.

Firsts This Week:

• Saw “Play With Fire” as performed by Boston Ballet at the Boston Opera House
• After the show, my friends and I went to the Thinking Cup, a little coffee bar across from Boston Common.