Coveting Camden

beck

La Nostalgie

Je pensais à toutes les choses que je dois maintenant souvenir pour éviter l'absence des souvenirs.


A ce temps là, je suis tombée amoureuse avec les couleurs bleu et grise

marcher autour du Chateau de Versailles

Les déportés

les mots de sagesse

s'assesoir et lire

les montagnes de californie

chez moi il y a cinq ans

la neige en utah


les petites filles pendant les vacances

tout ce que je sentis maintenant

beck

Tolerance vs. Acceptance

This week a delegation of 21 international visitors from countries all over the world began a program called "Promoting Tolerance through the Arts." Each delegate is somehow involved in the arts in their home countries. Some are artists themselves and others are directors or coordinators for arts projects. Each of the delegates was nominated because they are seen as leaders in their countries for their work in the arts. I suppose that ideally, they are also striving to promote tolerance through their work. I was surprised to learn that many of them had differing views on tolerance. I will expand more on these differences later. First, I want to describe the event that took place on Tuesday.

On Tuesday night, the group spent the evening at Busboys and Poets--check out the website. Imagine the perfect setting for a tolerance through the arts project. Busboys and Poets now has a few locations in DC. The business owner provides an atmosphere for freedom of expression with a progressive attitude. It's a book store, cafe, and restaurant all rolled into several conveniently located places. They frequently host open mic nights, book signings, readings, and other small concerts. The food is also quite delicious.

All those who were involved in the program had dinner up in the loft. We got to sit back and enjoy each others' company. Then we went downstairs to a private room and began the part of the night where six of the delegates gave presentations on their work. I'd like to talk about each delegate and their presentation.

Delegate #1 (I shouldn't give names) is a designer and advertiser who specialized in printmaking in school. Every detail of their work is full of metaphors and hidden meaning. Their company is changing the way traditional things like greeting cards, calendars, and stationary are presented and accepted. It's incredible and I'm seriously contemplating hiring them to create a print to fill one of my empty white walls in my room. Maybe if I get a raise...

Delegate #2 is a news reporter. They showed a video clip of all the endeavors of their network. For a small country, they have a lot of ambition. They have four channels that are part of their network and they are all publicly funded--like having four PBS channels. One of the channels is completely dedicated to arts projects. One of my coworkers is from the same country as #2 and he said that they are famous back home. I guess if you're a news anchor, then people will know your name and face. But when it's for a kind of PBS, I feel admiration for the country and for their devotion to building up appreciation for the arts.

Delegate #3 is a new media designer and entrepreneur, but most importantly...a comedian. They are somehow able to speak with an American accent and they claim that it is only from watching so much American TV. Ha! #3 grew up as a foreigner in their own country, because their parents were foreigners. As a comedian, they believe that you have to know about the cultures to be able to make fun of them. I like their attitude of making fun of themselves as well as the culture they have been immersed in for their entire life. They criticize and make humorous the idiosyncrasies from both sides of the culture scheme.

Delegate #4 is an artistic director for an art association with international goals and concepts. Since the art they promote is promoted over many countries and cultures, they can more easily share ideas and work towards promoting tolerance through those images and ideas. I wish I could tell you more about Delegate #4's background because I think it would prove even more that this group of individuals is truly amazing.

Delegate #5 was not actually nominated for this program like the rest of the delegates. #5 won their way here by participating in a video contest. The challenge was to create a five-minute or less presentation on the subject "My Culture + Your Culture = ?" #5 put an awesome music video together with a team of friends. I think their solution to the equation was "World of Wonder" or something like that. #5 is super cool because they actually work as a software developer and they use the web and social media platforms to promote cross-cultural understanding. And of course, they use music too. #5 performed the song for us and it was just awesome!

Delegate #6 appeared to be the most well-spoken and well-educated delegate. As a journalist who is very gifted with speech and writing, they are the most valuable asset for artists and all those who are using the arts to promote tolerance. #6 is a journalist and writer and is able to subtly gain the backing and momentum needed for their ideas to be heard and accepted. #6 is not an artist in the conventional way of producing an appealing product or performance; #6 is gifted in the art of persuasion through writing and speech. #6 did not perform, but told their story and how they decided to promote tolerance through the medium of the arts.

The night ended with a performance by a local DC musician named Afi. She is a neo soul singer and you can find her music on itunes. She sang a song called "Free Yourself." (I think)


So now back to the issue of tolerance itself. Many of the delegates were not pleased with the word tolerance. Tolerance is just not enough for them. Many of them come from minorities where tolerance means you are not accepted. I can see exactly where they are coming from, because I have felt a distinct difference between the two words in my own life. In the time surrounding the Prop 8 decision, I spoke or corresponded with several people who felt that as a Mormon I was not being tolerant of the LGBT lifestyle. In contrast, I felt very strongly that I could be tolerant of the people who choose to live that lifestyle, but I would never accept it as something that is right. And of course I could never accept it as something that should be promoted by the government as a normal social practice. So acceptance will never be possible for me on this subject. The conflict between Arabs and Jews or Israel and Palestine must be met by tolerance--it will never be met by acceptance. Acceptance condones the beliefs or behaviors and honestly, there are just too many differences. The conflicts are fact against fact and there is no way of compromising on believed truths.

One might wonder then why we should promote tolerance at all. If acceptance is an impossible goal, why should we strive for tolerance? I would argue that tolerance is the least we can do towards promoting peace. If we're promoting tolerance, then we're not condoning hate and violence. If we're promoting tolerance, then we're not giving heed to the seeds of prejudice that are planted in our minds through our societies and cultures. Tolerance was never meant to be synonymous with acceptance. Tolerance is only a means to end the pain and sorrow; it cannot replace the pain and sorrow with happiness. The happiness comes later with peace and understanding.

I didn't tell the delegates about my opinion on this. I hope they will take pleasure in the fact that I strive to be tolerant and remove any inklings towards hate or prejudice. That is the best I can do since I will never be able to accept things that I believe are wrong. Anyway, I feel I might be rambling now.


Here is Delegate #5's award-winning music video. BEWARE: The song can be extremely catchy and I may or may not have had it stuck in my head all week.



Oh and I guess I lied and I don't have any pictures of that night. All the pics were form earlier in the day so I didn't bother to include them. Oops!

beck

Coming Soon

Just had an awesome night at Busboys and Poets. It was an event for our international visitors. A recap of the evening including videos and photos will come soon--but not tonight.

Get excited.

beck

Change, Happiness and Dreams

I was missing the Kennedy Center today, so after FHE I got online and found the one performance that I can watch and listen to over and over again. Yes, I'm reminiscing over a performance from 8 months ago. I laughed, cried and felt so inspired that night that I go back to it to feel flickers of those original feelings and first impressions. It's never the same, but it helps me remember. It's like when you reread journal entries to remember where the scars are without reopening the wounds. Or when you look at old pictures and remember how warm the sun shone that day. The music from this performance ignites sensational memories and I had to go back for more.

Here's the link. I hope you enjoy it. They're all great, but if you start five clicks from the right at 1:45:45 and watch to the end, you'll catch all my favorites.

http://www.kennedy-center.org/calendar/kc_video_dyn.cfm?encoded=http%3A%2F%2Fplay%2Erbn%2Ecom%2F%3Furl%3Dkennedy%2Fkennedyg2%2Fg2demand%2F01312009%5F1800%5FOPH%2Erm%26amp%3Bproto%3Drtsp&header_image=header_mil_video.gif



beck

May There Always Be Sunshine

beck

Baki and Becky

During this last month the two-year-old I babysit has started calling me by my name. Except it's not quite right yet. It sounds more like Backy. It's especially sweet when he starts to say Mommy but then has to make an effort just to say Backy. He's trying and it's precious. His mom even said that he asks about me when I'm not around. Adorable! The six-month-old is still working on getting any noise out at all, so I'll give her some time.

My name change reminds me of a funny story I haven't shared yet. Back in June we hosted a delegation of political cartoonists for work. One of the delegates was named Abdelbaki. And he was called Baki for short. We were fast friends and he lovingly referred to us as brother and sister since we were Becky and Baki. About a month ago, over a month after the project ended, he called me up while I was at work.

The funny thing and the most endearing part is that Baki hardly speaks a word of English. So our conversation lasted about a minute and went something like this:

Becky: "IIE, this is Becky."

Baki: "Hi, Becky?"

Becky: "Yes, this is Becky."

Baki: "Oh hello! Oh! It's me Baki! You remember me?!"

Becky: "Oh Baki! Hello! Yes of course I remember you! How are you?"

Baki: "Uh...I don't speak good English."

Becky: "That's okay. How are you?"

Baki: "Uh...I just wanted to call you."

Becky: "Oh okay. I'm glad you called. How are you?"

Baki: "Uh...sorry I don't speak good English."

Becky: "(tried something in French)"

Baki: "Uh...I...don't speak good English." (haha and I can't really speak French)

Becky: "Okay, well that's okay. I'm glad you called. Thank you for calling."

Baki: "Uh...I can't speak English."

Becky: "That's okay. Thanks for calling."

Baki: "Okay."

Becky: "Bye, Baki. Take care!"

Baki: "Okay. Bye, Becky."

I will miss my Algerian brother. The end.

beck

Here I Go!

I've jumped into the realm of more responsibility. Gone is the transitionary phase where generous donations are given to supplement a starving student budget. Far past is the simple life of having parents to provide for my needs. Presently, this girl is all grown up!

It took me a while to realize this had happened. I think turning 23 might have had something to do with it. Everyone tells me 23 is not old. In fact, I'm still three years younger than the average age in my ward. I know I'm not old...I'm just getting older. Now I'm closer to 25 than 20. Pretty soon I'll be closer to 30 (though 30...or 40...doesn't seem to be too old when I choose to date guys lol). It worries me that time is flying by and I'm not being effective in my personal goals or in what the Lord would have me do to better serve Him.

I understand that change is constant; change is a healthy and normal occurrence. I made a big change when I decided to come out to DC--a healthy and happy change. I thought of these song lyrics quite often during that transition period: "Here I go...and there's no turning back! My great adventure has begun! I may be small, but I've got giant plans to shine as brightly as the sun!" (Jo in Little Women). After Sister Dalton's talk at the CES Fireside tonight, I thought of how I can be of best use to the Lord. I'm trying to be realistic as I set goals knowing that changes don't have to be big and happen all at once to be effective. I have to take baby steps. "Baby steps to the door. Baby steps to the elevator. Baby steps into the elevator..."

It is extremely frustrating and discouraging that whenever I think of self-improvement, I feel like I'm making another resolution that will soon be broken. Any time I want to accomplish something meaningful, it has to be some grand gesture that is completely different from how I lived before. This makes the goal virtually impossible to attain. (I'm reminded of some friends I have who are obsessed with dieting techniques--each one they start is more obscure and outrageous than the one before and their results are less than mediocre) Especially in regards to spiritual goals, we want to "wipe the slate clean" with one giant eraser so we can start over and be better. This is so unrealistic and quite detrimental. To scrap everything and start over leaves all the experiences and lessons learned for the junk pile.

This is all food for thought. I'm a work in progress. Aren't we all?

beck

P.S. I realize I haven't been updating on DC adventures. So here's one for you: Last week on the metro, I got on at Dupont Circle to head home. Many people exited the train before I got on. I was grateful for this since it had appeared that the train was very full. I soon realized that many of those people were probably just trying to escape the weirdos on that particular car. There were probably five or six guys wearing black that covered their whole body. Then they had mechanical-looking boxy things completely concealing their faces. A few of them had tiny fake heads that sat on top of these boxes--some didn't, so they just had box heads. It seemed they were talking to each other but the voices were garbled by a machine. So...kind of weird. They got off at the next stop, so I didn't have much time to examine the specimens. I have no idea what it was all about...I guess just a day in the life on the metro. That's all I've got for now.

Aunt Becky

I spent Labor Day weekend in Williamsburg/Jamestown, Virginia. Sorry, no pictures (the camera somehow never comes out whenever I'm with the Spurlocks)

My brother's wife's sister and family currently live in Williamsburg. My brother and his wife came out with her parents from Kentucky and I drove down from the DC area to meet them. It was quite a crowd! And it was a blast! We went to Water Country USA, did some outlet shopping, ate at a great BBQ place, had Sno-to-Go, had family dinner, and other fun stuff.

It was especially enjoyable for me since there were three little munchkins running around. It became evident soon after my arrival that everyone else who was there was either a Nana, Papa, Aunt Pooh or Uncle John. I was just Becky. Taking pity on the outsider, my sister-in-law's sister (the mother of the munchkins) started calling me Aunt Becky. This weekend I became the Aunt Becky. And this weekend I decided that it's not as exciting to be Aunt Becky when the little munchkins aren't my own nieces and nephews.

So...I talked to my brother and his wife about the issue. We had a real heart to heart on why they should give me a niece or nephew. And I succeeded! Erin is now pregnant and due some time in March. Okay okay, so if you do the math, I had nothing to do with it--they're already a few months along. But I'm really excited and was just dying to share the news. They actually don't know the gender yet...but here's for hoping that it's a boy (I'm siding with you, Erin). *we now know it's a girl :) *

The secrets are out! I'm going to have a brother-in-law in January and a new *niece* in March.

2010 is looking pretty good so far...

beck