Behind the Screen
The opinions, views, and insights stated within this Monologue are my own. The facts, fallacies, and errors, however, belong to someone else (see disclaimer).
Saturday, July 26, 2003
Two more of my mom's pieces have received awards from the National Flute Association in the newly published music category.
That makes five pieces with awards over a period of three years. Prior winners were:
- I Wonder As I Wander - Finalist in 2001
- Silent Night - Honorable Mention in 2000
- Away In A Manger - Finalist in 2000
Way to go mom.
Wednesday, July 23, 2003
I bought two new hard drives for my Xboxes and will be installing them tonight. This guide in particular will be useful.
The Complete Evox.ini Guide: "The Complete Guide to Setting Up Evox.ini
Evolution-X Version 1.8.3752
by Vidgms4me"
Monday, July 14, 2003
The roommates (Scott and Adam) and I went camping and white water rafting this weekend in western Massachusetts. There were six of us total, for Scott brought three of his friends.
On Saturday, we loaded up Scott's truck and headed north around noon. After picking up a friend and meeting two others, our convoy headed up to the Massachusetts mountains. Though we have all had real camping experiences, we ended up staying at a family campground.
Our camping plot was right out in the middle of a field, wide open for all to see. So it didn't really feel much like camping. We played cards, horseshoes, and Frisbee while enjoying hot dogs, hamburgers, and drinks. The usual camping stuff. Come 6:30 a.m., we woke, broke down the camp, loaded up the trucks, and headed off to start a day of rafting.
There are three rafting companies that service the Deerfield River. We chose Moxie Rafting.
After going through the required safety briefings much like that you'd receive on an airplane (except exits on a raft are located just about anywhere and the likelihood of using your flotation device is much greater), we loaded onto a bus and headed out to the river.
I sat next to one of the guides on the bus. Today was going to be her first training run as a river guide. Her husband, Ray, was going to be our guide. She assured us he was a great guide, so long as he remembered to take his medication that morning. We laughed.
I could tell she was nervous about making her first run. It was easy to figure that out, for her raft's passengers included her parents, her husband's mom, and two friends of the family. If she screwed up, she'd never hear the end of it.
She screwed up.
On the second rapid, she managed to not only hit a large rock in the middle of the river, she wrapped the entire raft around it. All of her passengers (family members, remember), ended up stranded on rock in the middle of a class 3 rapid. Paddles and gear floated downstream and word spread throughout the 10 Moxie rafts that were out that day that one of their rafts was in trouble.
Ray, hearing the news, pulled our raft to the shore, grabbed a gear back with safety ropes, and set off on foot upstream. The six of us? Well, we sat around for nearly two hours waiting for the rescue to complete. The sun wasn't out, the water was cold, we were hungry, and we couldn't even see the action, for it was too far up stream.
We did see another raft from another company flip over on the same rapid, as well as a few folks in kayaks. So we were semi-entertained. But all in all, the day was spent waiting and not rafting. Though some of the rapids were cool and exciting, we were glad to make it back to camp to get dry, fed, and to begin our journey home.
It was a good trip.
Friday, July 11, 2003
Wired News: Bloggers Opening Western Eyes
Humanitarian workers abroad use blogs to chronicle the lives of people in strife-torn societies in the hope that the West will finally comprehend, and respond. Not a far stretch from my Peace Corps blog.
Wednesday, July 09, 2003
Last month PeaceCorpsOnline.org ran a story about a group of 60 Peace Corps volunteers in the Dominican Republic who had planned a peace demonstration at the US Embassy against US policy in Iraq in March and asked RPCVs to comment on whether Peace Corps Volunteers retain first amendment rights while serving overseas to protest actions of the United States Government.
This story provoked more comments than any other story they have published in a long time. More than 50 messages have made on the topic; one of them was mine.
Since making this post on June 16, 2003, traffic to my site grew 344 percent (which is to say three more people showed up). Kidding aside, my story is being read by others.
PeaceCorpsOnline.org Publisher Hugh Pickens sent me an email the day following my post requesting if he could feature me in an upcoming issue. Yesterday, he followed up with an email saying my story is being considered for their August issue.
I've also received a few emails from people who read my comments at PeaceCorpsOnline.org and followed links to my site. Here are a few excerpts from emails I've received from visitors:
From: "Peter"
Subject: Peace Corps
Date: Mon, 7 Jul 2003 18:19:01 -0500Jason,
I just read your posting on the RPCV website. I am very sorry to hear what you went through. It's something we were threatened with in Sierra Leone as well.
I served in that country for three years, from 1979 to 1982. As I recall, the Peace Corps handbook allowed volunteers to speak to the US press without hindrance, and suggested caution in talking to host country media. Against that background, we received a sneering (the best word that I can think of that the moment) letter from the Peace Corps Director saying any volunteer who spoke to any media, at home or in-country, would be terminated, and any staff member who did so would be fired. The idea was that we might win an appeal, but could never return to Sierra Leone.
This came after someone in the media interviewed a PCV. I was told the story came out very positively, but I don't know for sure -- I lived at the remote end of the country. It nearly caused a revolt among the volunteers, especially when he sent out a second memo saying there was a correction, and it was exactly the same as before. There were other problems with this director as well.
Peace Corps has been gone from Sierra Leone for nearly ten years, but it remains very popular and now that the war is over the government wants it back. I would still advise volunteers to be cautious in talking to the press. Many of the publishers in Freetown are now friends or acquaintances of mine, and I make the statement in full knowledge of the perils that anyone might face with the media. Still, I think that is their right.
Regards,
Peter
And this one...
Date: Tue, 08 Jul 2003 10:06:15 -0500
From: BiancaGood Morning Jason,
I've read most of your website regarding your "adventures" with the Peace Corps.
It was nice to hear/read something negative. I have an idealistic view of the PC and its services. It was refreshing to hear it's not all peaches and cream. I find it hard to believe that everyone has a positive experience with the Peace Corps so reading your story made the organization a bit more human, flawed at times.
Thanks again,
Bianca
For those who are visiting my site for the first time and wish to learn more about my Peace Corps experience, here are a few helpful links:
- Early Termination
- An extensive section documenting my early termination. This section include memos and emails exchanged between myself and the Peace Corps.
- My Monologue
- You're in it. It is here that I share my experiences (dull and exciting) with the world. Posts appear in reverse chronological order.
- First Peace Corps posting
- I arrived in Guyana on Wednesday, June 5, 2002. This is my first posting.
- Last Peace Corps posting
- My last post was made on Wednesday, August 21, 2002. I was sent home Friday, August 23.
- Audio Diaries
- Two 10-minute MP3 audio diaries that I recorded and posted while in Guyana. Country Director Earl Brown took such offence to these two files he took them to Guyana US Ambassador Ronald Godard.
- Letters of Support
- Letters and small notes I received from most of my peers in disgust of my early departure.
Thank you all for visiting and sharing your thoughts.
Continuation of my Montreal trip
On Saturday, we slept in (after Friday night, we needed it). We woke, hit the streets, and began looking for lunch. In just a few blocks, we found China Town -- at the corner of Saint-Laurent Blvd. and de La Gauchetiere Street -- and sat down to one of the largest buffets I've seen in a while.
Stuffed, we headed off to Montreal's Old Town. Located between the river and the city-center, Old Montreal, founded in 1642, has remarkable 18th and 19th century architecture and the first Canadian skyscrapers. Charming, we found its boutiques, sidewalk cafes and public places fun to explore.
We did make a point to visit the Notre-Dame Basilica of Montreal, a masterpiece of Gothic Revival architecture. Built between 1824 and 1829 the interior of the church of sculpted wood, paint and gold leaf. It's paintings, sculptures and stained-glass windows were also amazing.
Before long, we needed a drink and a place to relax. Thankfully, we found Jardin Nelson. Part restaurant, part courtyard, Jardin Nelson had the perfect marriage of historic grace and modern elegance. The three of us spent the rest of the afternoon enjoying drinks in the restaurant's courtyard, listening to the live jazz band, and admiring the huge parasols that provided our shade.
Wasting away the afternoon in Old Town Montreal was just what the three of us wanted. Refreshed, we returned to the hotel to freshen up and begin another night of the Jazz Festival.
We were not a lucky in getting a sweet table this time. Regardless, we had a great meal, walked around to a few stages to listen to some Jazz, and called it the evening right around midnight. Afternoon drinks and a late night on Friday drained our batteries, so turning in early for the evening was just what the three of us needed.
Sunday was all about driving home. Laura and I had about a seven hour drive ahead of us, Rob only had about two hours, for we dropped him off on the way. Leaving around lunch, we reached the US border in about an hour. Unfortunately, so did everyone else. It took us three long hours to get back on US soil. Driving can be tiring. But taking three hours to drive just over a mile is exhausting. Eleven hours after leaving Montreal, I was home.
It was a fun filled trip that made a few days feel like a week-long journey.
Tuesday, July 08, 2003
I had a great Fourth of July weekend. Two friends -- one new, one old -- and I embarked on a trip to Montreal. Laura LaCascia, a new friend from Connecticut, and Rob Woods, a long-time friend from Lambda Chi Alpha's staff (who is currently an IBM intern in Vermont), were my companions.
On Thursday after work, I picked up Laura in New Haven and began the drive to Burlington, Vermont, where Rob currently lives. On the way, we pulled off the highway to look for a place to eat. At the time, we didn't really know where we were, only that we were in Vermont. It was just becoming dusk.
After avoiding a near-collision with another driver who was not paying attention (another story), we found a busy ice cream store where we could stop and ask a local for directions. Little did we know we were just minutes away from downtown Montpelier (Vermont's capitol), which was about to begin its fireworks show.
So we drove into town, had no problem parking, grabbed a few hot dogs from the street vendors, and enjoyed a 20 minute show. Though Montpelier is the capitol, it truly remains a small town -- having only a few stop lights. After this great break, we headed back on the road and made it to Rob's by midnight.
Friday morning, the three of us were on the road by 10 a.m. From Burlington, Vermont, the drive to Montreal took us less than two hours. Rob had been there before while traveling for Lambda Chi Alpha. But for Laura and I, this was our first time to this city.
I was surprised how big it was. I also didn't know it was an island, surrounded by rivers.
We arrived to Montreal around lunch. After grabbing a quick bite to eat in the pavilion in the underground mall located below our hotel, we took the Metro to the Biodome de Montreal. Once an arena for the Olympics, the stadium was converted into a Biodome in June 1992. It now features four natural ecosystems: the tropical forest, the Laurentian forest, the Saint-Laurent marine environment, and the polar world.
Nearby, we found the Montreal Botanical Garden. Established in 1931, it is considered to be one of the world's major botanical gardens. It boasts more than 21,000 species and varieties of plants. The Chinese and Japanese Gardens were the best, for they offered exotic landscapes. It was also nice to just sit and enjoy the scenery after a good afternoon of walking.
We then returned to the hotel to get checked in, cleaned up, and ready for a night of partying. Our hotel was the epicenter of the Montreal International Jazz Festival. With 500 shows that involve more than 2,000 musicians, the Festival attracts 1.6 million spectators annually, including more than 250,000 tourists -- which explains why it was so hard for us to find a hotel room. But what a room we found, for at the base of our hotel were two stages and another four were located just blocks away. We were right, smack, dab in the middle of it all.
After a few drinks in the hotel lobby, we hit the streets. Search for a place to eat, we asked one of the restaurants with tables outside how long the wait would be. To our surprise and unbelievable luck, we were seated right away. Our table was just 50 yards away from the main stage. We had a direct view and were the envy of the 100,000 standing folks in the street. Needless to say, we stayed there the rest of the evening.
The show ended at midnight, so we were off to find some nightlife. What we found was the Jello Bar. This place rocked! They had a great band, diverse patrons, and fun disco/lounge atmosphere. It made for a great ending to a long and fun day.
I'll write more about our Saturday and Sunday adventures when I get the chance.
I found a list of a few cool things I could do right here in Connecticut.
Travelocity : Tips and Advice: Travel Tips: Local Secrets, Big Finds
Wednesday, July 02, 2003
Google released a beta version of its new toolbar, which I'm trying out now. A few months ago, Google bought out Blogger.com, which is the service I use to post the content you find here on my Monologue. The cool feature is Google added a blogger button to its toolbar, which makes it even easier for me to post content that I find on the Web to this section of my site.
Wired News: Google Gets Souped Up Toolbar: "11:30 AM Jun. 27, 2003 PT
Online search engine Google introduced several new gadgets in its popular toolbar for Web browsers, hoping to build even greater brand loyalty amid heightened competition. The new software for the toolbar includes a feature that automatically blocks pop-up ads and enables users to transfer online content to Internet journals known as weblogs. "
Wired News: Bloggers Gain Libel Protection
"The Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals ruled last Tuesday that Web loggers, website operators and e-mail list editors can't be held responsible for libel for information they republish, extending crucial First Amendment protections to do-it-yourself online publishers.
Online free speech advocates praised the decision as a victory. The ruling effectively differentiates conventional news media, which can be sued relatively easily for libel, from certain forms of online communication such as moderated e-mail lists. One implication is that DIY publishers like bloggers cannot be sued as easily. "