I"ll Be Back With My Superman Action and I'm Off To Save The World"

First of all, I must apologize for having no photos up yet from my parents' visit. The internet at my house no longer works, so it might be mid-July before I get those photos off my computer and on to a blog and shutterfly.

I'm trying to get back into an intellectual mindset. I spent the weekend watching "What Not to Wear," which not only made me feel lazy but also superficial. Granted, I love the show and I think that there is a lot to be said for helping people to dress well--as much as we hate to admit it, we do often make judgements on first appearances, and if you're going to be interviewing for jobs and such then you need to know how to dress. Also, you often feel better about yourself if you look your best. Still, spending hours on the couch watching wasn't the best choice, although I did work out and I also wrote a few cards and finished making some mixed CDs while I watched, so it wasn't a total loss.

Anyway, I finally started reading "Collapse: How Societies Choose to Fail or Succeed," by Jared Diamond. Of course it's an immensely thick book, but I'm already into it. Today I've been listening to podcasts--I'd had enough of wondering what they were and started poking around, and have been listening to Science Fridays from NPR. The one I just listened to centered on GM foods (Click the title for a link). B and I had a discussion about them recently, and being a chemical engineer, of course he sees the advantages of genetically modified foods. I, being a sustainabilist (hmmm...coining my own word here), refuse to believe that, as GM foods stand now, that they are beneficial. And the discussion seemed to back up my beliefs--findings have shown that GM plantings actually require more herbicides, not less, due to bugs that become resistant to the GM crops. It made me realize how much I've missed using my brain for such things, and so I'm glad that my class (socio-cultural aspects of food) starts on July 5th.

This week my schedule is off once again--I work 8-5 rather than 7:30-4 or 4:30. I'm more or less in charge of the research department, since my boss is gone, and I have to be in the office when the fundraisers are here. At least my evenings aren't full, so I'll be able to get to the gym. One more piece of news: I've lost 9 pounds since I've been here, and over 20 pounds since I had my Peace Corps physical in May 2003. Talk about incentive to keep up with nutrition and the gym!