Hey...what do you think of what's going on in israel?

well...i have been in three separate emotional conversation....discussion....debate with my wife, my sister, my sister's boyfriend, and finally with friends. i am not sure why i get so easily frustrated when we talk about this subject. i guess its because i totally believe that israel should make every effort to get their soldiers back!

imagine if you are israel, and a terrorist organization decides to kidnap two soldiers. the group decides to give back the soldiers if they trade them for hundreds of prisoners. do you really think israel would allow this to happen? if they capitulate, anyone can kidnap soldiers and trade them in with prisoners from now on. what kind of precedent does that set? in israel, everyone is obligated to the military. so israel have no choice but to react because if they don't, they are telling their people that we are not going to do anything for you if you are part of the military.

i say hamas or hezbollah really forced israel's hand in this situation and israel is not going to back down. its a bunker mentality, and you have to understand the history and their struggle to maintain their existence. you have to really delve into middle east history to understand it...but to put it simply, land and the ownership of land in the middle east means existence! the land is what makes them jewish...complete. and they are not about to give that up!

even though our conversations have been heated, we all agreed that israel have every right to pursue those solders. but they have been incredibly violent and excessive. i agree....but what do you expect them to do. they are not going to back down because it would mean defeat. defeat in that region is tantamount suicide. again bunker mentality.

i think that is why everyone is waiting for the international community to step in. this way everyone is saving face. so who's screwing this whole process? that's right....united states. bush decides to verbally support israel's right to defend themselves. yes...but why doesn't bush criticize israel for their use of excessive force? why don't they step in earlierand request for the cessation of military force? maybe bush needs a course in contemporary middle east history? or maybe he really wants hezbollah to be destroyed even at the expense of innocent lebanese lives.

my wife thinks united states and the majority of the west are suffering from orientalism. hard to explain but what it really means is that we have a prejudice toward olive-skinned people. israel is a westernize, white, sovereign nation, that is democratic. much like all the countries in the west. most of the other countries are islamic fundamentalist and monarchical. its hard for us to relate to them, so why bother helping them? if they're not willing to change...hell...why help them? let's just get rid of them.

okay...a lot on the table...what do you think?

Sprained Right Ankle Sucks!

Wouldn't you know it....the first time i go out to play basketball in my neighborhood park (Delores Park)and i get a sprained ankle. i had no idea my ankle sprained either. i mean i don't recall ever landing the wrong way nor stepping on someone's foot. i just remember playing really hard and next thing you know, i am limping home. my right ankle isn't even swollen! nick, a friend, thinks it may just be old age. i really want to give him a whupping right now! he also thought i might be lacking nutrients. so i started chewing my wife's calcium chews....

but it is sort of a blessing in disguise. i mean it unwillingly allowed me to anchor down at home, more like cover up with a comforter, and start my annual summer reading session. its very difficult for me to start reading because there are so many things i rather do. you know, spend time with the wifey, play basketball, watch television, take a walk, shop, clean the house, shit even.... whatever....anything but reading. i like reading but starting is so difficult.

i love the intrigueing stories, the colorful writing, the humor, the drama, the hope, the despair, the pain, and the anger that you share with the author......but goddamit....i'm lazy! i want them to make movies of the books i read, but when i have read them, i feel betrayed when authors allow some schmuck who thinks they can really share the same story on film. so let's make this clear, i really don't want the books i read made to movies. it would be "distressful" for me and i will not be able to "repose" with comfort.

so far, i have read Everything is illuminated (jonathan safran foer), the sand child(ben jelloun), and me talk pretty one day (david sedaris). all are wonderful books. the writing is superb and you can't keep the books down. i read all three books in the span of two and a half days. i told you....when i read a book, i read it without putting it down until i'm finished.

but you guys probably already know that they are great books. i have a way of reading books that people suggest i read but it takes me a year or so to get to it....hehehehehe

Are SIX pairs of jeans enough?

moving sucks! you can never really know what you compiled over the years after you have to move them. and i am realizing that i have a ton of clothes. i don't buy a lot of things primarily because i don't like to spend money. so while my friends may have the newest technolgical cell phone, ipod, laptop, television, car, house, whatever...i don't really care. however, i feel i am not different from them. i may not buy those things because i don't want to but i do like to buy things. i guess, like everyone else, i like to attain something new and fresh. its like change, and i like change. it makes life interesting. now you can have new imaginations. buy a new car, you can imagine going on a roadtrip, or show off a car to a really stupid girl who will fall for it. buy a phone, you can imagine endless possibilities.

well, i buy things too. more particularly, i buy clothes. i like to buy clothes because its not as expensive as other things. its a way to be creative. i can wear things that can really enhance other clothes. boredom never sets in when you have many different clothes to choose from. but how much is enough?

i have six pairs of jeans. two are exactly the same! now that my wife and i have to consolidate both our apartments, which are bigger than what we are moving in to, we are trying to figure out what the hell we can give away. can i give away clothes that were gifts? can i give away practical clothes? can i give away impracticals but really interestng clothes? so much to think about.

Dear Lourdes, (a student of mine)

Essay:
My summer has yet to become summer. I have always imagined summer to be a time of rest and relaxation. It has not been that way. Once school ended, I had to prepare for my wedding, moving out and moving in to a new place in the Mission, celebrate the World Cup, and go to an ELD workshop. It has been a very hectic three weeks.

Once school ended, my girlfriend (wife) and I had to drive down to Orange County (near Laguna Beach) to prepare for the wedding. It was a Moroccan-themed wedding and we did it ourselves. We did not hire a wedding coordinator to help us. Of course, both my family and her family helped us. It took a whole week to prepare for it and it was very difficult. I don't like shopping, and my wife and I shopped for our suits and dress, shoes, fabric, cups, food, everything! It was very tiring because we had to comprimise. Anything that took a long time really bothers me. I think I have to change because it really isn't fair to my wife. But you already know how wonderful the wedding went. The smiles in our pictures really reflect how fun it was.

We are currently moving out of our apartments and moving in to our new apartment. It is incredibly tiring. Imagine having to move beds, furniture, books, clothes, appliances, and accessories; and move them to a smaller apartment. It is like putting a puzzle together. We are starting our new life together discussing where things need to be placed and things that we need to buy. Fortunately, we have enough money from wedding gifts to buy things for our apartment. Right when you think you are done, there is something else you have to do. I am surprised we are able to put as much as we already have in our apartment!

While we were preparing for the wedding and moving, I had to take time of to watch the World Cup. The games were fantastic! I love supporting the underdog teams. However, I didn't like Mexico. I wanted the Ukraine and Holland to be in the final four but deep in my heart, I also wanted France to be back in the final because they had a lot of players that I really like. For instance, I enjoy watching Henry, Zidane, Mekelele, and Thuram. I also liked Brazil, and I was very surprised they lost to France. I was in North Beach when the Italians won. The whole neigborhood celebrated the win all night long.

Immediately after we arrived from Orange County, I had to go to a week long workshop to improve my teaching. It was interesting and I learned a lot of things. some things they taught us, I already use in the classroom. There are also some things that I will use next year. Unfortunately, you will not be in my classroom to experience these effective strategies.

As you can see, I have not yet laid done, and pick up a book, and exhale, and read. My wife and I have been busy since the beginning of summer. We are tired of each other at times and I am really thankful she has the patience to deal with me. So far, that's what we have done this summer. But make sure you, Itzel, and Roberto write to me, so I can see how much English you have maintained and how much you have learned.

Mr. Algones

Is it September yet!?!?!?

man...let's see what transpired this past three weeks...hmmmmm....wedding reception, before the "wedding reception"-a week worth of preparation, the world cup, clean-up, moving out and moving in to a new apartment, a rigorous workshop, and...did i mention moving in.

moving sucks! moving out is simple. just throw the lot in the back of a truck and your off to your new destination. moving in is annoying! imagine having to figure out where things are suppose to be place. this time i am moving in with leyla and we both have to share an apartment that is threee times as small as both our apartments put together. now imagine having to lug everything in the apartmentin the second floor. plus our owner's father just died recently, and he hasn't given us all the keys that will access the complex. so we end up having to ring the door bell to our neighbor's house just to get in to our house. but we figure that is minute compared to what he and his family is going through right now. so far we didn't have to climb the fence...heheheheh

but am i done?....no. i can't stand moving in! leyla and i just spent the whole day yesterday shopping for everthing you can think of and everything you have never imagined you needed in an apartment. it was very taxing and we both wanted different things. you can imagine how difficult that is for any couple. of course, we survived but we needed a little midnight one-on-one intervention to figure out how difficult life is sometimes. both of us need to adjust to accomodate each other but more me adjusting than her.

we still do not have a tv and we need to get that going soon or i am going to go nuts! fortunately, we are not in the middle of college basketball season, so i am not going to go ballistics...hehehehehe i guess i will presume the summer reading session. by the way, i have a ton of books that have been given to me but yet to be read.

is it september yet? i need to rest. we both need to rest. i can't believe i am asking for september already. wait till i really let summer roll in and i will be crying for june again.