29 April 2006

Reasons I should not have a blog right now:
1) I am a procrastinator
2) I have a paper due on Monday at 12:30
3) I have been working on the paper for 2 days straight and I'm sick of it
4) I will do anything to not have to work on it at the moment, including posting nonsense on my blog

Thank you, blogger, for aiding and abetting my crime of procrastination.

27 April 2006

Craziness....
The seminary broke today!

It was like 4pm, I was chillin in the library, and the entire campus lost power. The ENTIRE CAMPUS. This has never happened before. What is one to do? Can't find your way around the library, can't use any campus computers, can't make copies, can't do anything! I think it was God saying, "Take a study break!"
My new best friend.

26 April 2006

I had the privilege to speak at the annual Philadelphia area's Armenian Genocide commemoration on Monday night. I spoke about what the genocide has taught us (the importance of making people accountable for crimes against humanity) and what the genocide still has to teach us (we must be a united people, and that unity is found in Christ Jesus - the divisions we perpetuate are secondary). I was pretty bold but didn't say anything heretical or blasphemous. I spoke the truth, so I felt comfortable being bold in what I said.

And the greatest compliment I got, over and over again, was that I said what everybody else thinks but is afraid to say.

That makes me happy for now.

25 April 2006

INCIDENT AT WAWA

Scene: I and another person are standing outside my car talking, and 2 guys are sitting in their car parked next to mine.

Strange Person: Hey, can I ask you guys a question? My friend and I here were having a little debate.

Me and person I'm with: Uh, sure.

Strange Person: When you are smoking pot, or you're high on something, do your pupils get bigger or smaller?

Me and person I'm with: Uh, I'm not sure, I think bigger.

Strange person: Bigger? (to the guy seated next to him) See, I told you.

Me and person I'm with: Yeah we're not totally sure, but we think the answer is bigger.

Strange person: Yeah that's what I thought too! My buddy's pupils are big as sh** and he's totally sober. Mine are all tiny and I'm the one who's f***ed up! Well anyway, thanks guys.

Me and person I'm with: Sure thing.

Did I mention that Strange Person was in the driver's seat? Yeah, he drove away. TERRIFIC.

20 April 2006

Overheard in class today:

Professor 1 (lecturing to the class): You can't take all these complex ideas and wrap them up in a simple book like Rick Warren does.

Professor 2 (seated behind me, whispering to the person next to her): Who's Rick Warren?

Person: I'm so glad you don't know.
2 10-page papers + 2 serious due dates + 2 hours of sleep + 2 cans of red bull = the heap of stress sitting in my room.

17 April 2006

This is an email I received from a friend named Sevan Ohanian last week, and I think the world needs to read it. Thanks, SevanO, for permission to post this.

"I would like to pose a question to everyone and get some opinions: Why are Armos so divided?

Think about it. You got Barsgahyes vs. Bolsahyes vs. Hyeastancis vs. Lipanahyes vs. Suriahyes, Tashnags vs. Ramgavars, Diocese vs. Prelacy, ACYOA vs. AYF, my mama's basturma vs. your mama's, etc. Now the whole "kinds" of Armo divisions can probably be explained by cultural and linguistic differences. But what about everything else? Will things ever change?

Is there something in our culture that keeps us divided? Is it some ancient tribal mentality that has been passed down from generation to generation? Hundreds of years ago in the old country, before all of the political schisms that exist today, little Armo communities would war with each other instead of banding together and fighting the real enemy united.

Who is to blame? Our parents' generation perhaps. Are we are to blame for perpetuating this beef? Are we, as young Armenian men and women, going to change this? Are our kids generation? Or are we going to teach them the same things our parents have taught us? Is there anything to right this wrong? Or are we doomed as a united force in this world?

Now on this list is a broad cross-section of Armos who are friends of mine or otherwise ended up on my email address book. There are Tashnags and non-tashnags, ACYOAers and AYFers, Bolsas, Barsgas, Hyeastancis, Lipanahyes, Suriahyes, all on this email. About half of the people on this list are from the DC area, and half from other communities and a few from overseas. I can tell you it is pretty bad here in DC with the whole church split thing. What is it like in your own communities? And some Non-Armos are on this list, and if you have read this far, Does this sort of thing sound familiar in your own ethnic communities?"

I don't think this problem is particular to Armenians, though I don't have the experience and knowledge to publicly comment on other ethnicities. I do think that it's a sad fact of human nature that we pass on things to future generations that they're better off without, though. You could ask this question to the whole Christian church as well, or to any group of people with inner divisions. What keeps us divided? Is it our own pride and refusal to compromise? Hanging on to grudges we ought to have long forgotten? Fear of having to say "I'm sorry?"

The annual commemoration of the Armenian Genocide is coming up, an event which might for one day unite Armenians but for the other 364 days still serves to divide. When will a common past be able to unite us in the future?

PS - at 10pm TONIGHT (April 17) there is a special on PBS about the Armenian Genocide. Tell everyone you know and watch it! Support the recognition and accountability of crimes against humanity.

14 April 2006

12 April 2006

A while ago I had a post about the Armenian Genocide. I am giving a talk at this year's Genocide commemoration, so as I've begun to think about it, it's on my mind and I thought I'd provide some websites that have lots of info about it.

http://www.armenian-genocide.org

http://www.twentyvoices.com

http://www.theforgotten.org/intro.html

http://www.genocide1915.info/#

http://www.armenocide.am/

If you google "Armenian Genocide" and go to about the 3rd or 4th page, you'll start to see what makes me SICK inside: Genocide denial propoganda. I have not included those sites here, though I just finished reading one that wasted a bunch of Internet space just blowing off some steam and not really saying anything substantial. I think my next post about the Genocide will have to be about some of the allegations that Genocide denial makes, and how to respond to it.

And maybe another post will be my own Medz Mayrig's story - my great grandmother, the only survivor in her family.

11 April 2006

J thinks perhaps we have 2 trends:
1) G - his mouth - glassware.
2) C - taking pictures of G w/ his mouth wrapped around glassware

My brother is notorious for his exaggerated sense of humor, but apparently he has no recollection of this picture. I wonder why. What I want to know is, what's he doing with the fork?

09 April 2006

It's SUNNY! :)

06 April 2006

P.S. I love my family. Here's why:

"Those of us who are there early will eat the lavish hors d'ouevres and drink the expensive wine!!

When the rest of you arrive we'll be eating lasagna and salad off of paper plates (no kidding!) Dress comfortably unless you intend to embarrass the Wedgewood group.

See you then. Right now I'm expecting J,S, J, G, C, Gpop, P, S, M, J and L. with L and K coming over possibly for dessert. We'll miss J. and H.

Love,
AL"


No comment, AL. L, J, J, C and G will all make sarcastic remarks about this for a long time. K might chime in too, and hopefully H as well. J and S will be polite about it and P and S won't have even read it because they don't have a computer. C helped me figure out who M is and S will chastise me for not knowing that in the first place. J will have been confused about it too and will have asked S for clarificaiton. J is probably still sitting at his computer rolling his eyes.

Are the rest of you confuddled yet?
Timeless wisdom from one of my favorite childhood cartoons, "Thundercats":

Bullies are always cowards on the inside.