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September 30, 2004

The Tragedy of Sudan


After watching The Lost Boys of Sudan on PBS the other night, I had the urge to dig deeper and find out what is really happening in that country. Time magazine this week has the Sudan tragedy as its main story. "Fifty thousand are dead, thousands more will die, and more than 1 million have lost their homes. Simon Robinson visits Darfur and witnesses what is happening while the world dithers."

During lunch today, a friend and I were discussing the topic and our common naive question is why there's so much anger in the world today? The weather today didn't help what we were feeling, that of helplessness and more questions. Our worries do not compare to what the people of Sudan are going through right this very moment.

This whole thing made me remember a song I knew when I was younger. The Dream by Michael Franks. I sure hope I can still keep the faith and the dream alive.

Posted by ernie at 05:06 PM | Comments (2570)

September 28, 2004

Lost Boys of Sudan


Check your local listings, I encourage you to watch this film. "We came away from our experience of filming with Peter and Santino, with a deepened appreciation for how much we rely on our network of family and friends in our daily lives and how hard it is to function as a newcomer in America without that safety net." Filmmakers Megan Mylan and Jon Shenk share some lessons learned while making "Lost Boys of Sudan."

Posted by ernie at 11:31 PM | Comments (48)

September 27, 2004

Warrior is a child

Life sometimes forces you to be strong all the time. Especially when people depend on you to be there all the time. To provide support no matter what troubles you yourself are carrying at the time. You must forget about your worries and stay strong and hold fast. Sometimes though, you want to be taken cared of. Sometimes you want to be the child. Most people don't see my tears, after all the battles that we face in life I wish I could drop my sword and just be a child...

The Warrior is a Child
Words and music by Twila Paris

Lately I've been winning battles left and right
But even winners can get wounded in the fight
People say that I'm amazing, I'm strong beyond my years
But they don't see inside of me, I'm hiding all the tears

They don't know that I come running home when I fall down
They don't know who picks me up when no one is around
I drop my sword and cry for just a while
'Cause deep inside this armour - the warrior is a child.

Unafraid because His armour is the best
But even soldiers need a quiet place to rest.
People say that I'm amazing - I never face retreat
But they don't see the enemies that lay me at His feet.

They don't know that I come running home when I fall down
They don't know who picks me up when no one is around
I drop my sword and cry for just a while
'Cause deep inside this armour...The warrior is a child

Deep inside this armour...
Deep inside this armour...
The warrior is a child.

PRESS PLAY TO LISTEN

Posted by ernie at 05:36 PM | Comments (45)

September 25, 2004

Terhune Orchards


Posted by ernie at 05:31 PM | Comments (0)

September 15, 2004

Angels

My angels are in first grade and I'm getting old.

Posted by ernie at 05:23 PM | Comments (16304)

Lomography


I want to run out of my office and buy a lomo camera. The photo above was taken by my good friend Dexter Cruz using his $199 Lomo-lca camera that has been occupying his time lately. I love the organic texture and look of lomography that I'm seriously thinking of picking up the same camera and experiment. Just when I thought I saw my last roll of film. Click on the image above to view the rest of his shots. He tells me that he gets 2-4 good shots out of a roll of film. Unlike digital cameras where you have a lot of control, lomography takes all that away and you play a guessing game. I like that though, that it's more an art than science. Expect to see lomo shots here in the future. ;-)

Posted by ernie at 03:25 PM | Comments (779)

September 14, 2004

Appreciation Day

Today is Employee Appreciation Day in our company. From 2 to 4pm there will be games, food, singing, food, and more food. The posters all over the campus said we can come to work in shorts and sneakers. I chickened out last minute. So instead, today (a Tuesday) I'm wearing Jeans! And yes, it's also nice to be appreciated. I have to stay away from the food. If I haven't yet posted it here - I am on a diet. A month ago we bought a TreadClimber and I have so far lost roughly 12 lbs. I don't know If I'll be able to make my goal by December. I'm keeping my fingers crossed and my TreadClimber humming.

Posted by ernie at 09:57 AM | Comments (342)

September 10, 2004

Princeton 83 degrees


For lunch today I had the pleasure of my wife's company. Our corporate campus is very close to the Princeton campus so off we went to our favorite town in New Jersey and lunch at our favorite sandwhich place- Panera. Weather could not be better. Nary a cloud in the sky with the breeze blowing through a mild 80s air. Post lunch was a walk through the university and a peek at the campus bookstore. Princeton is probably one of a handful of universities that has a whole section in its bookstore of books written by its faculty. Some enterprising students had laid hundreds of wall posters for sale, think about it - what's a college dorm wall without posters. Brilliant. And did I say we got parking in front of Panera along Nassau avenue? An impossible feat during lunch hour, ask the locals. :-)

Posted by ernie at 02:33 PM | Comments (0)

September 08, 2004

Just details.


An uncle is visiting and a trip to the NY metro area won't be complete without a visit to The Lady. In Ellis Island immigrants from the great migration years would land to be 'processed'. Today it houses a walk through what they went through. Saw a film in one of the theaters narrated by Gene Hackman and made by Guggenheim that masterfully brings you back in the 20s. Moving is an understatement to describe the film. It affects me because I too am an immigrant and in my mind are the same thoughts and anxieties that those Europeans had when they crossed the Atlantic. Once they were processed they were told 'Ok, you can go." Go means you're free to enter America. For most of them comes the realities of where they would go. Will they find work? Where will they stay that first night. But to most of them these were 'just details'. They are now free and IN America where they could start all over again and have a better life. I like that 'Just Details'. I tells me to 'hey don't sweat the small stuff' they're just details. Life is good.

Posted by ernie at 12:04 PM | Comments (0)