For Love and the Game

Gato stares at me as he slowly tips off of his horse, saddle and all. "Ayudame!" he yells.

What can I do? How can I help?

I stare helplessly at my trusty steed I've named Carrot.

Carrot is easily the best horse in our brigade. Being the largest of the group, I was offered the largest horse to take us to the baseball game. This hardly healthy animal is still the fastest of the crowd despite the fact my feet could touch the ground if I dare try. It's my first time riding a horse, but certainly not my last.

Our group decided to go to the local baseball game to support the team we've been playing with at night. The game was a spirited event where our tragic heroes unfortunately met their defeat in a hard fought battle that continued despite the cattle walking around the outfield. To celebrate the event we decided a couple bottles of rum would be a great way to pass the time of the hour and a half ride we had to get back to the community.

"Regalame un poco" an old campesino asked me a few kilometers back. "Give me a little". After taking a swig the old man warned me not to drink too much otherwise I will fall off my horse. A fear I definitely had given my level of experience.

We continued down the trail laughing and joking. About ten of us: Darwin, Juan Pablo, Gato, and the rest of the team.


We talked of justice, campesino life, baseball, and love.

"Is Aria your girlfriend?" Darwin asked me. We stared at each other. The question had never come up before. "I don't know. Are we together?" Aria asked me. "Of course,"I replied. Five days later we would be engaged.

The trip was going really well as I debated with a couple of fellows about the differences between our cultures when we came across the rest of the group helping the old campesino back onto his horse. Apparently he had fallen off.

"Ayudame!" Gato yells again. I snap back. I can't believe he is still falling.

Campesino Life

"Eso es la vida campesino," Marlon says as the countryside of the Miraflor reserve races past us. Taking a sip from a bottle of rum he looks out from our post on top of an old school bus (the words "Baptist United Church of Chapel Hill" are barely painted over on the side) at the pastoral mountains pocked with small herd of cattle surrounding us. "Ese no es un acedente".

Campesino life is tough –long days toiling in the fierce Nicaraguan sun, limited access to modern conveniences such as running water and electricity, all the while trying to provide for one's family– but given the freedom and peace inherent to the lifestyle, Marlon would not give it up for anything. We are returning from Estelí, the nearest city and a Sandinista stronghold in Nicaragua, to check email, pick up supplies, and talk with local and international organizations about collaborations. While walking the streets of Estelí, the theme of dreams came up.

"Tranquilidad y liberdad" was all Marlon said. Tranquility and liberty.

Love

I'm engaged. We dated for 5 days but our history is longer. Here's a love letter I wrote Aria two years ago to the day of our engagement 6/6/07.

"There exists in some of us the desire to create problems for ourselves
when the ones life dishes us dont seem like enough. Large eyes for the
gluttons of punishment.

As with any problems, the primal choice of flight or fight instantly
presents itself.

While flight is the more cowardly of the two, the true coward never
looks back. Reflects. Even the shadow of the fight is too frightening.

The flight has given me plenty of time to look back. Reflect.

It´s also given me time to catch up on some reports and writing Ive
been putting off. I also started my novel on the corporate wars of the
future.

But I digress.

I have written this in the field before reading any messages you may
or may not have sent. I need not read your words to read your
thoughts. I have the same ones.

That said, I´ll head to the coast to procure a vessel (a 15-footer
aught to be a fine enough start) and you load up on the reading
materials (obviously a good selection of the classics, but dont shy
away from the trashy romance novels as well) and Ill meet up with you
at the to be agreed upon location shortly.

Take care,
Tim"

Summer Research Begins

"My country is very happy" Luis tells us as we zoom through the streets of Managua. Judging from the kids playing in the street and the families sitting together in front of their homes he seems to be absolutely correct.

The group of us, myself, Aria (a good friend from the University of Michigan), Scott (a law student from Fordham law and a good friend from our trip here together last summer), as well as two other law students Jenny and Katie, is here researching access to justice in a country with a long history of exploitation, war, and extreme poverty.

Despite this past of violence, Nicaraguans are some of the warmest and most open people I have ever met. (Case in point, as I write this the woman we are staying with just brought a plastic pail one of my favorite Latin American soups, mondongo, from a few towns over because she knew how much I enjoy it).

We're done in the capital of Managua for now as we head up into the hills of Miraflor to work with a coffee cooperative.

Street Art: A Portrait of Main South

This Friday, Main South Speaks is presenting an art exhibit featuring the street photography and graffiti of local youth we've been working with for the past few months.



Food from one of my favorite restaurants, One Love Cafe, music from a handful of local bands, and the chance to talk with the artists themselves!



What:Gallery of Main South Speaks graffiti and street photography. Catered by One Love Cafe.
When:December 14th 6-9 PM
Where:Dana Commons, Clark University
Cost: Absolutely nothing

I Am Wendy

"Do you want to do a Wendy's commercial?" my buddy Dennis asked me not so long ago.

He's the guy who directed that genius set of Buckley's ads where people are taste testing Buckley's and foul tasting substances like "Public Bathroom Puddles" and they are unable to tell the difference. (There's a set just online if you can't get enough of them).

I figured it would be a good time. Sleep in a hotel, hang out with an old friend, not compromise my integrity. Really, how bad could it be?

This idea is that I run around like a crazy person at the Michigan v. Ohio State game at The Big House to get people to cheer "Hot, juicy burgers" with me while Dennis hides in the bushes watching it all unfold.

It wasn't too bad, except that there were a hundred thousand drunk Michigan students just looking for a reason to tear apart anyone wearing red or had anything to do with Ohio (the late, great Dave Thomas' home state).




Even with the odds stacked against us, we had fun and had some amazing seats in the front row behind the goal post. Too bad we don't really like football and left around halftime.

One big perk is that we get our meals comped. Detroit is home of American Coney Island, where Dan Dan the Hot Dog Man proudly displays an award for the nation's best chili dogs.


After a quick break at home for Thanksgiving we were off to Cleveland for a Celtics v. Cavaliers game.



Another great time, plus I got to meet the Cavalier girls!

Mountain Clowns Part 2

Here's a photo gallery of our underground adventures in flash or html for more photos.