the Nexus

ARAMark Stinks (at SWIC) --

I'm writing because I'm frustrated, and I'm going to try to keep track of all the ineptitude occuring at SWIC's cafeteria, which is run by ARAMark.

First of all, ARAMark has a monopoly -- they have zero competition for beverage and food service on campus, unless, of course, you consider vending machines compeition, which I do not.

So, just for starters, the cafeteria has been out of Pepsi for a week. There's been an out-of-order sign on the Pepsi since last Monday when I came to school, and it has remained. Last week, there were at least 2 other soda flavors "out of order" last week. The other two were "fixed," although Pepsi has remained out of order. I'm pretty sure the "fix" here has to do with needed supplies, not a physical/mechanical issue, and even if it is a mechanical malfunction focused on the Pepsi spout, why didn't they fix it when they fixed the other two flavors' spouts.

Not only that, but I tried to order a ham and cheese sandwich this afternoon, but they are out of ham. This isn't the first time this semester, which is now 5 weeks old, that they have been out of something. Also, this semester, they have been out of Philly Cheesesteak, green peppers for said sandwich, and hoagie buns for that sandwich.

Plus, today, nobody is at the register. A worker was filling the soda frig, not 10 steps from the register where a young lady and I waited, and it wasn't until I walked over and asked her if there was someone running the register did she came over and checked us out.

I don't want anyone reading this to think I'm just a whiner; I'm not. I do expect decent service in this service economy, and generally, off-campus, service is really good, from the local McDonald's to franchises like Applebee's, as well as local joints like Margarita's or The Acropolis. If they don't provide decent service, they go out of business, because, in the real world, there is competition. Not here, and this is a problem.

The Giants won the Super Bowl. There were two story lines going into the big game: one, a dynasty built upon teamwork and lack of ego; and, two, adversity and resiliency. The Giants are the lowest seed team to ever win a Super Bowl. Resiliency won out over teamwork and destiny. I like this ending. It's not the fairy-tale ending, wherein the expected team, the destined team, wins. It's not that the Giants are the bad guys, the evil triumphing over the good, but something more innocuous -- the underdog winning. This is the same storyline as all of the Rocky movies. This reaffirms the idea that anybody can become president in this country, this world. This Super Bowl is about the little guy sticking it to the man. Super Bowl 42 was the most American of Super Bowls, asserting part of the American myth -- through hard work, effort, dedication and discipline, anything is possible.

The problem with this whole storyline is it's not true. For every example of the little guy making big, for every John Edwards there are a thousand others who work just as hard, just as driven as the rest, but who get nothing in return for their efforts.

So, in this case, who's to blame? Society because there are not enough opportunities for all the remarkably skilled people in the world? All the literature that emphasizes the idea of America as the land of opportunity? The person who failed, because they simply were not diligent enough?

I don't have an answer to this question. The truth is, as much as we like to pass our society off as a meritocracy, it is not. The best does not come to those most deserving -- it comes to the luckiest, the people in the right palce at the right time, and the people who know people, the networkers.

Labels: February 4 FW

It's cold today! It's not really cold, maybe in the 20's, but that sure feels cold when it was 63 degrees yesterday afternoon. The weather this winter has been really volatile, up and down, to extremes, and it really seems like this has been an issue around the globe these past few months. China is suffering under some of the worst winter weather they have ever had. A huge part of this enormous country is under a blanket of cold and snow, stranding millions of travelers during China's busy holiday season. Moreover, it snowed in Iraq on Monday. Just flurries, but snow nonetheless.

I really have no idea if these wild weather variations have anything to do with global warming, but certainly, I'm sure, man people are saying, "What?!? Global Warming! Are you kidding me?!?! Look at the weather around the globe." Who knows, the global climate is such a complex organism who's to say whether this winter is normal variation, or caused by man-made causes.

I like the variety.

Labels: Freewriting 006 1/30

I've been wondering about secrets and honesty today. I'm curious about what people keep secret from others, and what they choose to share, and why. I'm also thinking about this specifically in the context of a marriage. Ideally, you would think that you should share everything with a spouse or partner. Isn't that part of the deal? I know it's not written in the vow, but it seems implicit in a marriage.

But, on the other hand, aren't there things -- thoughts, actions and behaviors -- that people just need to keep to themselves? A small part of your life, your experience, or your soul, however you want to look at it, that you keep for yourself. You are in sole possession of this knowledge, and if this knowledge doesn't hurt anyone else, then why not keep it just to yourself?

Somehow, this feels essential to me. Having secrets.

The flipside is, within the context of a committed relationship, don't you want your partner to really know you. For me, having another person who really understands you, goodness and not-so, is a comfort. It's a boon because it creates a space where you can truly be yourself with another person, without hesitation and reservation.

I want this. I want this with my wife, but I have secrets a keep from her. I'm not talking about affairs or terrible things like I'm a ax-murderer, but simply things that I keep to myself because I don't want her to know because it might not jive with the impression she has of me, and I want to preserve that impression . . . i guess . . . even if that impression is not really true.

Ah, yes, truth must come into the equation. But, then, we have to consider the Big-T "Truth" and the small-t "truth." Big T, for me, is the truth of the situation, and this is contextual, and doesn't always follow the reality of the happening. Little t truth is what happened -- i.e. I said, you said, we did . . . etc..

Labels: Secrets

I'd like to develop a new class incorporating the World of Warcraft, either the shell, or the complete game. To my mind, this game has incredible possibilities for learning fuctions. The World of Warcraft world is a complete world, with an economy, cultures, religion, myths and stories, and because of this, it could act as either a great simulation, or just a "location" for study.

Initially, I think a ENG 102 would be easiest to adapt. In 102, I ask students to study cultures, and WoW is full of different cultures. These cultures are both game-related and created because of the real-life humans that populate the world.

In truth though, a business class could use Warcraft as a simulation of a real, working, vibrant economy. A Lit class could examine the narrative of the MMORPG; how stories fit into the gameplay, the immersion, the effect and enjoyment of the game.

Labels: WoW - Part 1

Professionally, I live my ideal life. Professionally, my life revolves around learning, my own and others', and this, to me, is truly perfect. Everyday, as a professional, I learn and grow and mature. I have the most privileged position possible in that I am privy to the thoughts, creativity, and energies of dozens of young and largely idealistic people. They reveal to me their innermost thoughts, significant experiences, perspectives on politics and popular culture. At the beginning of each semester, I am given these dozens of open books to read, and everyday, I am privileged to read a few more pages from some of these books. These books teach me how to be a better me, and for that, I can never thank them enough.
Truly, I could not ask for a better professional life.

Okay, I'm having a really hard time thinking about ideals in other areas of my life. I'm struggling because I can't get beyond the question of whether there are people in my ideal world. Yes, I need people for my professional existence -- they are necessary -- but I can't quite settle on whether there are people in my personal life.

I know that people are necessary. I like people, generally, but people also wear on me, and I'm not sure if I didn't have a family whether or not I would deal much with people outside of my professional life. I want freedom, and I know this is selfish on my part, but I'm beginning to believe my own personal philsophy revolves around freedom to a much greater degree than I've ever admitted before, and the truth is that people have the tendency to limit one's personal freedom because of the necessity to compromise and accomodate that necesarily comes with having people around.

Labels: The Ideal Life

What is my perfect day?

I'm going to be honest here, and it may not reflect the best on my character or values, but I'm going to take a chance and being earnest anyway.

My perfect day would include good food, no doubt. Maybe an undiscovered food, an ethnic food, a flavor and taste I've never encountered before.

It would include some sort of physical activity, an outdoor activity, hiking or biking or xc skiing.

I'd also like to see something new, visit a new place -- a landmark, museum, park -- just as long as it's new to me.

I'd also like to do some reading during my perfect day. It doesn't really matter what type of book, as long as it's one that I anticipate reading.

The problem with this perfect day is that there are no people necessarily involved yet. I'm not a misanthrope, but I'm not sure that there would be people involved in my day. People complicate things. They add an additional set of wants and expectations, as well as another body of emotions swirling around the ether that might conflict with mine :)

However, I do enjoy great conversations, and these generally necessitate other sentient creatures. The problem with introducing people to this perfect day is that people make it difficult to be entirely oneself, without some sort of facade blanketing each individual, and for my perfect day, I just want to be me, unadulterated and shameless. During my perfect day, I don't want to worry about pleasing other people. I just want to be . . . me.

I would like to see people during this day, but only as one watches people at an airport, with a sense of curiousity, but detached.

I'd also like to live in the moment during my perfect day. I think Buddhist's refer to this as "being" mode, rather than "doing" mode. I don't want to be concerned with what comes next, what should be done, but, rather, just exist in the moment with complete and absolute awareness of only that moment. I don't want to think about the laundry that needs washing, dogs that need walking, or papers waiting to be graded. It seems that too much of my life is spent looking and planning ahead, thinking about what I need to do tomorrow, rather than just enjoying the moment I am in today.

I guess, overall, my perfect day is about discovery. I am most satisfied with my life when I am learning/seeing/experiencing something new.

Labels: The Perfect Day

# posted by CA Lund @ 9:22 AM