Let me tell you about my new carrots

It's been a long time coming, but I picked up my first CSA box earlier this week.. the first of many. And so, it seems, I'm guaranteed an, um, afternoon delight on Wednesdays, veggies and fruits - oh my! CSA, you ask? (Or was that afternoon delight?)

CSA stands for Community Supported Agriculture, and for a cityfolk like me, it's the closest thing I'll get to having a crazybig garden myself to provide fresh fruits and veggies all year 'round. I basically bought a "share" of a local farm's harvest and, as such, they will deliver a seasonal selection of goodies weekly to a neighborhood drop-off point a few blocks from my apartment. Pretty cool, huh?

And even though we're in the middle of winter - typically the worst selection of the year - the box is pretty good.. it's filled with apples and grapefruit and spinach and some other good things. California, yes! And now, late at night, I'm thinking about the last few carrots that wait for me for tomorrow. Yes, it's the carrots - the best I've had in ages (and I don't care if part of it is placebo effect) - that confirmed that this was the right CSA (Terra Firma), at the right time (regardless of season). If this first box is any indication, then we, my friend, are on our way (to tastyland)..

In fact, I've already seen the bounty coming at more harvest-friendly times of the year - via some friends who hooked up with this CSA ages ago - and I know that the mid-January selection is just the tip of the iceberg. Yeah, so lots to look forward to like asparagus, snap peas, and strawberries; I can't wait for the season to develop! Signing up was long overdue; and what better excuse to explore some new recipes - and have friends over - than having fresh, organic, local produce show up, basically, at your door? Eat well!

Death, by arrow or otherwise

Killed by an arrow?

Man, that idea is so foreign to me - death, by arrow or otherwise, is inconceivable for the young in America - but apparently it's all the rage in Kenya. Of course, I say that with the blackest of humor possible (puns notwithstanding), but the NYTimes mentioned today reported that there is renewed and vigorous enthic fighting in Nakuru, one of the biggest towns in the troubled Rift Valley. And gangs of young people are walking around with clubs and machetes and bows and arrows, attacking people from rival groups at will; people are being maimed and killed, homes and shops destroyed:

Kenyan Gangs Clash in New Trouble Spot
By Jeffrey Gettleman
Published: January 26, 2008

And you read these sorts of accounts of far-off lands by Western journalists - mostly good folks trying to present the situation accurately - and you can't help but wonder if this article presents a proper version of "reality" (nebulous in definition itself, sometimes, I know). I mean, I'm sure there is plenty of fighting in Nakuru (and other Kenyan towns), and machetes are out in full and horrifying force, so what I really mean to say is that I question the commentary around these sorts of episodes: the "whys" around the political unrest, ethnic tensions and eruptions of violence. Yeah, and now that I say that "out loud", I realize that I will never know "the truth"..

In any case, as you may have heard, my sister was discharged from the Peace Corps last week, but she's back in Kenya (from Tanzania), sticking around with a few friends in Mombasa indefinitely until she figures out what she wants to do next. Hopefully, she'll be able to get back to her town in Western Kenya to continue some work on her own, or, at least, to tie up some loose ends before moving on (eventually back to the US after some traveling), which would imply that there was major progress in the political situation in the capital, and that violence had mostly subsided.

Chocolate delivers, rain or shine

When the weather is cold and wet - and one is invited to a dinner party on such a Thursday night - a young man's fancy turns to baking (if he's an, um, fancyman, that is). Of course, chocolate is always in fashion, rain or shine, so yesterday I broke out a chocolate chip cookie recipe that I had saved away a few months ago.

I found it on SFGate.com (here), but the recipe is originally from "Demolition Desserts" by Elizabeth Falkner (of Citizen Cake fame), a book that takes some familiar desserts and reformulates them into almost unfamiliar - but still very much delicious (or moreso) - formats. Some of the recipes, in fact, could be classified more as "projects" than simple baking in terms of the effort required to pull them off, but if you're going for pizazz, you can't really go wrong with what she suggests.

That said, there are very doable recipes for folks with less time to invest but still want to impress your friends. Ms. Falkner's Chocolate² Chip Espresso Cookies fit the bill nicely; the recipe follows (with my own baking notes):

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

SIFT:
1 1/2 cups (7 1/2 ounces) all purpose flour
3/4 cup (2 1/4 ounces) unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
2 teaspoons finely ground espresso-roast coffee beans

BASE:
1 cup (8 ounces) unsalted butter, softened but still cool
3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons (7 1/4 ounces) granulated sugar
3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons (7 1/4 ounces) firmly packed dark brown sugar

ADD1:
1 (1 1/2 ounces) large egg
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

ADD2:
1 1/3 cups (8 ounces) semisweet, milk, or white chocolate chips, or a combination

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

1. In a medium bowl, sift together the SIFT ingredients

2. In a large bowl cream together the butter and brown and granulated sugars (thge BASE ingredients) until smooth but not overmixed using a wooden spoon.

3. Add the ADD1 ingredients to the large bowl and stir just until combined.

4. Add the SIFT ingredients to the butter mixture in two additions, stirring gently after each addition just until combined. When I added the SIFT ingredients, the dough was crazy crumbly and was not really coming together into a smooth, whole, dough. In fact, I rechecked the recipe several times because I thought I left out some milk or eggs or something else that would bind everything together. But no; the ingredients listed above are all you need. So, at this point, I just got into the bowl with my hands and everything came together just fine into a thick, chocolaty, dough.

5. Add the chocolate chips and stir - or, as I did, use your hands - just until evenly distributed throughout the dough. Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes.

6. In the meantime, position the racks in the upper third and lower third of the oven and preheat the oven to 350°.

7. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper and scoop up 1-inch balls of dough for full-size cookies or 1/2-inch balls for mini cookies with a spoon or mini scoop. Set the large scoops 2 inches apart or the small scoops 1 inch apart on the prepared pans. Yesterday, I actually made 2-inch balls of dough (and patted them down on the cookie sheet because I was in a hurry to get these guys in the oven - I was late for dinner!

8. Bake the mini cookies for about 5 minutes and the full-size cookies for about 8 minutes, and then rotate the pans and bake both sizes for another 3 minutes, or until they are puffed and still look a little wet in the center. Transfer to racks and let cool. For the 2-inch versions that I made, I baked them according to the directions for the "full-size" cookies, which left them with a *very* fudgey consistency.. I did not hear any complaints!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

These cookies will keep for 2 to 3 days in an airtight container, but they will be at their most tender the day you bake them. The recipe makes about 4 dozen full-size cookies, 8 dozen mini cookies, or - as I found out - about 2 dozen mega cookies (2-inchers). No matter the size, these cookies are pretty awesome.. and will get you buzzed on all sorts of levels: you'll find sugar, chocolate, and coffee, in each delectable bite. It seems, for these cookies at least, size doesn't matter (except when it does), so eat up!

Long lost Mr. Fischer

You know, I really don't even know that much about Bobby Fischer beyond the major bullet points of his life:

- Youngest international grandmaster of chess
- First American-born world champion.. and Cold War hero
- Erratic and often anti-American or anti-semitic behavior
- Arrest in Japan + amnesty in Iceland

And, now, he is dead:

Bobby Fischer, Chess Master, Dies at 64
By Bruce Weber
Published: January 18, 2008

Man, I haven't really thought about chess in a while, but when I was a wee lad, I used to play quite a bit, at home and at school (pretty cool, huh?). haha. Even then, you knew the name Bobby Fischer, a chess icon always more legend than man.. and even moreso now, in death.

In any case, the NYTimes obituary (not to mention the wikipedia article I linked to at the top) provides a brief, but eloquent, version of his life, and gives a feel for the conditions under which he invigorated the "sport" of chess back in the 70's. Every cause, of course, needs a large personality - ideally, a handsome and charismatic icon - to spark the imagination of players old and new. For chess, Bobby Fischer was it (as far as I can tell; I certainly do not roll with any chess circles anymore). And maybe he will be again..

We'll see if his, um, grand accomplishments on the chess board overshadow his (many) transgressions in the "real world". I assume that they will; history is usually very forgiving in that way.

In the meantime, I have it in mind now to read / listen / watch more about this enigmatic genius, and, perhaps more interesting, about the political backdrop around many of his most high-profile matches. To that end, the book "Bobby Fischer Goes to War" and the movie "Searching for Bobby Fischer" come to mind, and since the SF Public Library seems to have both, I can satisfy these intellectual cravings fairly easily and on the cheap.

But you know I'm a fan of "doing", so let me throw out there that I have a couple of chessboards here at my apartment, so if I can round up a player - any takers? - we can dust those off and have ourselves a go. Bring over a 40, and we'll pour a lil' out in honor of the great minds that came before us. And then, of course, I'll break out The Abyss, allowing us to continue our match into tastier territory..

Unstructured or not

Well, my sister's time in Kenya was officially called to a close on Tuesday - at least from the Peace Corps perspective. In her own words..

They're having us all take Interruption of Service and flying us from Dar (Tanzania) to the States beginning on Sat!!! Got this tonight and we're all full of emotions that are very hard to describe. They're asking us to give them one month to figure out stuff here in Kenya. so I'm Done, for the most part..

(since my sister's Peace Corps service was done in August anyway)

The news is very hard to take for myself and mentally I don't know where I am with this whole situation. I left thinking I would go back home to Matayos and continue the life I made for myself for the next few months; obviously, that's not going to happen.

As I mentioned earlier, my sister was evacuated - via motorcycle, then car - from her village, Matayos, about two weeks ago due to the violence that erupted over disputed presidential elections.

In fact, the NYTimes reported yesterday (with updates today) on new protests and killings in Kisumu (the closest city to where my sister was stationed), as well as in other large cities like Nairobi and Mombasa. The article itself is a little all-over-the-place, touching on a lot of subjects related to the current violence and potential for continued political and civil unrest, but not really getting into any details on any one aspect. In other words, it's not a good article to "start on", but if you've already been following the action, it does provide a little view into the latest scene. Check it:

Protests Bring New Violence in Kenya
By Jeffrey Gettleman
Published: January 17, 2008

And the BBC fills in a little more:

'Seven dead' in Kenyan protests
BBC News, January 17th, 2008

In any case, I read these stories with a bit of amazement (and a grain of salt); I really don't have any practical experience to call upon when I try to empathize with any of the players involved, from native Africans - especially from the native African perspective! - to international workers (ex. from NGO's, foreign governments and so forth).

You see, I've never lived in a place with such a level of uncertainty with respect to its everyday societal constructions.. from transportation infrastructure to general rule of law (including the expectation to NOT be hacked with a machete). These types of things should just "be", right? I, of course, say that with a wink-wink and a nudge-nudge: these things are *hardly* simple in their implementation, maintenance, and, later, evolution with the times. But that fact is easy to forget because while they are all intrinsically complex systems - built layer by layer, and tweaked infinitely (and, many times, slowly) - they can have a seemingly-simple interface.. as least when viewed by a given individual.

In any case, I'll let the news speak for itself.. before I get too off track and start philosophizzizing without hard data to back me up. Besides, as I write, more updates are pouring in, BBC-style:

Kenya 'turned into killing field'
BBC News, January 17th, 2008

Alas, the who's-at-fault-hype coming from both sides, it seems, is strong (and conflicting). But that is the way of the world, unstructured or not..

UPDATE: My sister will be discharged from the Peace Corps on January 19th, but will be sticking around Africa until at least the end of February; there are belongings to collect and goodbyes to be said.

Can I be a pleasure (to read)?

It's January, just past the holidays (and some buffer), and minds-in-the-(want-to)-know turn towards another season of school; for these folks, seasons are measured in neatly-packaged semesters. And, for me, that means CCSF is back in session - this week, in fact - and tonight I've begun a new little branch of academic endeavors. You see, I've started a weekly Short Story class, which makes me - officially - something of a writer. Well, at least, that's what I'll tell chicks at parties (and we'll keep the part about it being a night class at CCSF our little secret). ;)

Actually, I *am* excited to see how things work out at school.. on several levels. Remember that I have no formal English education beyond high school - writing or literature or otherwise - so I'm first looking to baseline my current level of comprehension and aptitude for the discipline. That is, can I write something that other people find stimulating and/or entertaining; can I be a pleasure (to read)? Beyond that sort of raw feedback, it is good to know that I have time set aside each week for writing (not to mention for doing background reading assignments). One of the main benefits of paying for a class such as this is that you have submitted yourself to a structure of discipline.. and you don't want to waste your money. Here, now, there are appointments to keep and concrete assignments to deliver. Yes, sir! Yes, ma'am! And all of that.

I'll be posting everything I'm up to for this class here on the blog, and comments are welcome; comments are always welcome, in fact. I won't be offended if you think something "isn't working". Well, I'll, at least, *act* like I'm not offended and listen intently as you apply your harsh worldview to my work. Oh, I thank you; I thank you for your valuable opinion! Deep in my heart, however, I know that Morrissey understands me and my artistic vision; he understands me, complete and whole. (So screw you.) haha.

In any case, the short version of why I'm taking the class is that I'm hoping to be inspired - in a get-off-my-ass sort of way (versus a hippy-dippy, great idea from heaven sort of way) - to develop of few nascent writing projects rolling around in my head (details to follow; stay tuned). So, when such a project, however small, gets going - and you have a critical audience in the mix - the desire to NOT FAIL in front of your peers (whatever that means in this case) is strong. At the least, I know I can apply some of the writing/brainstorming/organizing techniques to some of my deliverables at work (training presentations, application notes, and so forth).. although, really, what fun is that when, there, I'm writing about computer chips?

Hey, but if this class-as-inspiration thing works out, maybe I'll sign up for an art course next semester. You see, I also need a kick in the butt to get my mind wrapped around that amorphous tattoo that I keep talking and talking about (yet, somehow, never actually get); it's been years since I first had an, um, inkling of this (permanently) marked desire.

Still, I need to be focused on the present: I have an short story assignment due this coming week and, besides, tomorrow I make the journey back to the CCSF Noe Valley campus for my other linguistic love: Русский язык. In Russian class, my goals are much lower (with respect to effecting nuances of communication), but no less noble. I want to know how *you're* doing all over the world (and we'll start with those of you in Russia and its sphere of influence). Пока!

Better late than never, SF Sketchfest

The 7th annual San Francisco Sketchfest just started this past weekend; it runs from now through the 27th of January. That's right, a comedy festival right here in our great city, running for weeks on end.. and I've still never been to a showing!

Not until this *coming* Sunday, anyway..

This year's awesome lineup has finally gotten me off my ass. I mean, the folks that put on the SF Sketchfest have grown the event to be a premier venue for both up-and-comers and those from the "established comedy underground", folks like Brent Weinbach, Brian Posehn, Tim and Eric, the Upright Citizens Brigade (A.S.S.S.S.C.A.T.) and a reunited Kids in the Hall. And this list is just the tip of the iceberg; scores of others are also performing.

Yeah, so I bought tickets to a show this coming Sunday at Mezzanine:

Jon Benjamin and Eugene Mirman's Fresh Faces of Comedy
Featuring Bob Odenkirk, Tim and Eric, and Michael Showalter

There are a couple other shows I thought about going to (ex. anything with Mr. Weinbach), but given some schedule clashes (CCSF night classes start this week), I was limited in my options. That said, the Fresh Faces of Comedy show was at the top of my list anyway. Yeah, I'm not sure what to expect from the guys behind Tim and Eric Awesome Show, Great Job!, but it's sure to be at least pleasantly askew, if not a full on bad makeup and pursed lip comedy trainwreck (in a good way - haha). And, of course, Bob Odenkirk and Michael Showalter are proven laughologists..

In any case, if you're into slightly-skewed comedy, I'd say to get on some tickets (check the SF Sketchfest schedule); shows are happening everyday and at venues all over the city. Some of the big name events (like A.S.S.S.S.C.A.T.) have sold out already, but there are still plenty of laughs to be had. I'm pretty sure that if you go with an open mind - and maybe have a drink or two while you're there - you can't really go wrong; laugh therapy does a body good.

A Cornell, a Cummings, and a Newsom

It seems it's been a week for art.

Last Saturday, I *finally* got to check out the Joseph Cornell exhibit at the SFMOMA; good thing we made it happen this past weekend, because it closed the very next day. This retrospective was the last show in the current crop of exhibitions that I needed to check out; I had already seen the biggies of Olafur Eliasson and Jeff Wall at least twice, each. And it's odd I left Mr. Cornell to the last minute here because when I first saw a photo of his dreamy box construction, Untitled (Tilly Losch), I knew I would be into his stuff. His work is enchanting on many levels.

Actually, the curators amassed and displayed over 200 of Cornell's works, and this massive sum tired me out pretty quickly, even if most of them are physically very small; I was, therefore, only really able to give my full attention to the first couple of rooms. In that sense, I should have gone to see the show weeks ago, which would have given me time to return and return again, to tackle the pleasurable - if daunting - task of giving each thoughtful object its due. You see, his work is so detailed, so created (crafted?) from a myriad of everyday objects, that you can't help but be drawn into each piece's secretlife; and there, your mind - at least your subconscious mind - can be easily overwhelmed by such surroundings. What treasure to be found in each nook and cranny! Each piece demands a storytelling (are you man/woman enough?); and whimsy is encouraged.

On Tuesday night, I met a friend at John's Hayes Valley Market, that sometimes art gallery at the corner of Hayes and Laguna, for a group art show called Boomerang. In fact, we went there specifically for the opening reception and film screening; several films - 2 silent and 2 talkies, all reel-to-reel media - were part of the eclectic mix of works. Overall, it looked like a good crew in attendance, and I was glad that I made time to check out this gallery; I've walked by it so many times! As for the art, like most group shows (at least here in San Francisco), it was a mixed bag.. but curated tighter than most.

Two artists jumped out at me. The first, well.. I actually didn't catch their name (and so, I need to go back this weekend). But look for the colorful "X" and "V" drawings, framed and hung on the right wall as you walk in the entrance to the gallery. However, I was *really* enamored with the acrylic stylings of Timothy Cummings; he submitted a good 10 pieces to the show - most being around 10" x 12" and painted on paper or wood.

He framed his androgynous subjects icongraphicly, and captured them with dark and brooding gazes inspired in color and form by the Old Masters; the results were, in all cases, haunting (and I couldn't help but be mesmerized). Without a doubt, a rich and personal mythology simmered beneath the surface of each painting. I'll have to do more research on this talented - and self-taught - artist.

The very next night - last night - I bussed it over to the de Young Museum with a lovely date for SF Mayor Gavin Newsom's inauguration party.. such a random invite, but a most welcome one, indeed. Actually, I should clarify that *I* was a "+1", making me the tag along - I'd like to think "arm candy" - for the event (hey, I rocked some kickass silver cuff links for the occasion). haha. Not exactly a scene I usually roll with, but, that said, I certainly like to indulge in the trappings of all walks of life when I get the chance. And SF politics + free food + open bars + circus? + samba! + galleries all to yourself (and your date) = a pretty cool evening. Did I mention the open bars?

If you have access to Facebook, there are a couple of pretty good pictures posted of the event linked to my name. All I'll say right now is that you simply have to stand next to Mr. Newsom - and an arm around his back doesn't hurt - to find yourself with a fine tan; the pictures of this (former) whiteboy don't lie. Viva San Francisco! (And if you don't have access to Facebook and want to see the pics, let me know and we can hook it up.)

Fighting for your ears' attention

My work is done after - simply - making you aware of their existence, by advancing this music above and beyond the usual clutter that fights for your ears' attention; I'll let the work of these artists speak for itself:

1. MCMXLV - Dinosaur Jr. meets Joy Division?
Next SF show: January 10th @ The Red Devil Lounge

2. Rykarda Parasol - Gothic, sultry, piano rock
Next SF show: January 25th @ Cafe du Nord

3. Love Grenades - Seductress dancepop
Next SF show: NONE; catch them in Los Angeles on February 15th

And, by the good grace (and taste) of some of my friends - one old and one new; both super cute - I submit two more fun entries for your consideration:

4. The Virgins - Garagey Britpop w/ some whiteboy funk
Next SF show: NONE; catch them on their East Coast/ Midwest tour in Jan/Feb

5. The Dodos - Countryfied folkrock with a side of psych
Next SF show: February 28th @ Cafe du Nord

What I would suggest is to listen to a few tunes from each of these groups on myspace (which is where the links above will land you) and write your own one-liner description; I know you can conjure up something better than my weak offerings of "Garagey Britpop w/ some whiteboy funk" or "Countryfied folkrock with a side of psych". ;) Do it for yourself, of course - it's a great exercise in learning the language of the musicsnob - but if you're feeling randy, put your wonderful works of art in the comments. For some inspiration, check out the album descriptions from the crew at Aquarius Records; those guys and gals are truly the masters of such aural (and encyclopedic) industry.

And on a note more grounded in the visceral - let's DO the music instead of writing about it - if you're interested in going to any of the shows I mentioned above, let me know..

Hope too late for the 600 already dead

"The only way to restore the Kenyan people's rights and confidence in the (social and political) system is that the political leaders have to stop the violence, because innocent people are dying." - Jendayi Frazer, the top US official for Africa.

True that.

And, so, it seems like (minor) progress is being made in Kenya to address the stalemate between the presidential contenders and their supporters as they try to resolve questions around "fair elections" (amid a backdrop of ethnic tensions). The sitting president, Mwai Kibaki, has invited the main opposition leader, Raila Odinga, to participate in face-to-face talks in order to discuss the disputed election results. While the exact goals of the meeting seems to be a little vague, the gesture is enough that violence seems to have, um, died down a little over the past day or two. Read more, courtesy of the BBC:

Kenya leader invites foe to talks
BBC News, January 7th, 2007

For those of you that have asked about my sister Megan, she's been fine, spending this past weekend in Kampala, Uganda with another Peace Corp Volunteer (PCV) from Kenya. The two of them will be flying out to Dar es Salaam, Tanzania tomorrow for the next two weeks; we'll see where she goes from there. Megan is itching to get back "home" - to Matayos - but seeing her current day-to-day living in unfamiliar places as an opportunity to explore new territory.. physically and emotionally.

Back to thinking about the country (née, the world) at large, I'd like to have faith in the triumph of reason and order over chaos (the second law of thermodynamics notwithstanding); and everyone displaced will be able to go home and work towards a more stable existence, now and into the future.

As I've mentioned before, I really don't have any background in African politics, but I am willing to listen to folks who do and would like to tell me about it - in whatever way that means, given your personal expertise; it's a big continent.

UPDATE: Easy come; easy go. No talks for now:

Kenya Opposition Leader Rejects Talks
By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
Published: January 8, 2008

Putin as objet d'affection

A few days ago a friend brought me the 2007 Person of the Year issue of Time magazine. Normally, I wouldn't be very interested in their choice (or reading Time magazine in general, for that matter), but it just so happened that this year's Person of the Year is Russia's current president, Владимир Путин (Vladimir Putin); my friend knew I'd be into *that* (due to the random interest in Russia and the Russian language that I've been cultivating this year).

In any case, they actually do have a few interesting articles on, or related to, Putin.. however, the one that I was looking the most forward to was the least satisfying: a (much) abridged interview with the man himself at his Moscow dacha. You see, they basically cut a 3.5 hour dinner down to a page and a quarter of snappy one-line answers to some potentially in-depth questions. Admittedly, it's hard to tell the extent of the wordtrim because Putin *is* known for being to-the-point (to put it, um, diplomatically), but, still, each answer really does *feel* so incomplete; and to me, it became a tease. For example:

Americans wonder why the recent Russian elections could not have been more open and why, for example, Garry Kasparov was put in jail.

Why did Mr. Kasparov, when arrested, speak out in English rather than Russian? When a politician works the crowd of other nations rather than the Russian nation, it tells you something.

And:

Do you think there was a missed opportunity after 9/11 for the U.S. and Russia to work more closely on the anti-terrorism front because of Iraq?

We could have acted in a more coordinated and therefore more efficient way. That is true. But cooperation between our secret services is happening and is achieving results.

I guess if I want some unadulterated Putin, I should join the local chapter of the VV Fan Club.. although I'm guessing that the closest chapter is in that funky "land-locked" island of Russianess among the Baltic countries: Kaliningrad. More seriously, I *am* trying to track down any of their paraphernalia; I've seen some pictures of some pretty cool tshirts, flags and posters. And any help is appreciated if you know where I can get them here in the US (throw any info into the comments).

In any case, beyond the interview, the other articles in the issue fared much better. Specifically, I enjoyed one journalist's chronicle of contemporary Russian life during a recent journey from Moscow to St. Petersburg; he took a route first described by Aleksandr Radishchev in "A Journey from Petersburg to Moscow", written in 1790. As you can imagine, many things have changed, but even more notable are the things that haven't (or, perhaps, changed at some point and then regressed); religion and militancy forever. The article is really an attempt to distill a set of disparate stories into a theory about the current "condition of the country". And, at a first pass, it's a good start; still, its essence is very tip-of-the-iceberg, given the size and complexity of our objet d'affection.

But see everything I've been talking about here; see it for yourself: Time's Person of the Year, 2007.

They are counting on your arrival

What an odd turn of events in Kenya over the past couple of days! But maybe I say that because I really don't know that much about Kenyan culture - or any African culture, really; maybe this was all to be expected. It seems the country has devolved into a bit of chaos, with old ethnic rivalries springing into modern-day violence..

Kenyan Riot Police Turn Back Rallying Protesters
By Jeffrey Gettleman
Published: January 4, 2008

The *extremely* short version is that many people, including some independent observers, are questioning the legitimacy of the presidential election results from a few days prior. The existing president has unequivocally declared victory with 52% of the vote, and, in fact, has already sworn himself in for this next term (hasty, indeed!); on top of that, he refuses to negotiate with the opposition in any capacity.

You might think that that this sort of situation would be manageable in a civilized manner, but add in tribal allegiances (something I have no internal notion of), under-developed social infrastructure, and general trappings of a poor nation (even if it is one of the most successful in Africa), and you start to approach an understanding of how a society with a veneer of stability can so quickly fall from such grace. But, still, yeah, you can only just *start* to approach such terrible understandings..

Continue your contemporary Kenyan education with another article from the NYTimes, written by the same journalist:

Kenya, Known for Its Stability, Topples Into Post-Election Chaos
By Jeffrey Gettleman
Published: January 3, 2008

Again, start your journey here in newspapers like the NYTimes and in general Western media, but take it all with a grain of salt. One of the main ideas that I came away with after reading "We Wish to Inform You That Tomorrow We Will be Killed With Our Families" last month is that, like I mentioned before *for myself*, many international players who have a hand in the African condition (governments - continental and beyond, NGOs, foreign industry, journalists, general travelers) do not know the history of the people that they are observing and/or interacting with; they can hardly tell who is who sometimes. In other words, when they are giving commentary, passing judgments, or making decisions related to the African world, they are doing so with assumptions about "how people/societies work" that many times do not hold true there for one reason or another. And, hence, the place sometimes seems to be random and doomed to its failure after failure after failure.. even to people who should "know better".

In any case, the subject of "how to help Africa" - whatever that means - is a HUGE subject in itself and beyond the scope of this entry.

Admittedly, I would have probably glossed over these articles on "Kenya's problems", except for the fact that my sister has been living there for the past year and a half (in a village called Matayos, near Busia), working for the Peace Corps. In the weeks leading up to the election she had mentioned to us folks back home that there would be some precautions related to the election time, mostly in the form of travel restrictions. But I don't think that anyone imagined the scale of violence that has erupted.. although, again, it's hard to tell the true scope of the violence without being there first hand.

However, she did send an email yesterday describing a fairly dramatic evacuation out of Kenya:

"Hey all!!! Here's the update. Yesterday, the 2nd of Jan, another PCV and I were moved into Uganda. Peace Corps called me in the morning, then my supervisor came with his motorcycle to come pick me (first time I left my compound in a week and as we were just going there were fire burns in the roads and rocks for road blocks (hoolagans from diff places are stopping vehicles and making people speak their mother tongue and if they're kikuyu they're killing them):also, there's NO public vehicles running)) and brought me to Busia to this volunteers house. (Also, there's NO petrol/gas so it was a good thing I left when I did because his motorcycle was on LOW). Got to her house, and the Father from the Catholic Church, where she stays, took us across the border in his car where we met with 2 Uganda PCV's who live on the busia side of Uganda and we came up to Tororo, UG(27km from Busia, UG) for safety. TODAY: 13 PVCs in Kisumu are supposed to be leaving with the CDC via police escort and coming to meet us. We may stay here for another night or two or go to Kampala... we will have to wait and see. KNOW that I'm safe and thinking of everyone back in the States. It's quite surreal... Take care. Miss you, Love, Megan"

So, my sister is safe and sound, and just waiting in Uganda for things to cool out, hoping to return to her village in Kenya sooner rather than later. Luckily, Megan can roll with the punches, so I know she's been keeping high spirits throughout this unplanned adventure.

At this point, all I can say is that I hope for the violence to stop and some sort of reconciliation process to begin - within the national government, within local communities, and within each individual.. intellectually, spiritually or otherwise. And to all of you on that delicate, and sometimes terrible, journey - especially those in positions of power and influence: Godspeed. The path to peaceful resolution might be long, but your first steps must start now; the lives of a lot of people, in Kenya and beyond, are counting on your arrival.