Did you hear about the bombings in the Philippines today? I'm a little flipped out. I'm only a little worried that my family might have been injured. I'm more worried about my friends. But what really gets to me is the thought that the Philippines just can't shake this violence. It's a country that has so much to offer -- and had even more in the past. Its literacy rate at one point was somewhere around 90%. The islands are gorgeous and rich in natural resources. The location for shipping is ideal (part of the reason they kept getting colonized). The people are friendly and diverse. The southern islands are even protected from typhoons! But corruption, a history of being treated as ane exploitable resource by foreign imperialists, and an entrenched class system do not help. And these extremists besmirch the name of Islam and help to keep the country in a reactive and desperate state.

Add to this the news of a highly virulent multiply drug resistant strain of HIV, and I'm having a hard time of it right now. Robert Gallo says we shouldn't worry too much, that the new strain doesn't appear to be transmissable, but knowing how this virus mutates, it's kinda only a matter of time.

In both cases I'm having fears of returning to the 80s. Lots of people died and it was all no fun. I'm not really able to imagine going through that again.

Yeah!!! Spoke with Troy today for the first time since he arrived in Vienna. Let's hear it for voice chat on Yahoo messenger!! Troy said it was even clearer than when he used a landline there to call a bank in San Francisco. Gotta love that. And the fact that it's free!

This does, of course, only increase my dependence on the web, further reinforced by my studying both German and Teaching English as a Foreign Language online.

But then, you all are reading this online, so you're at least partially in the same camp.

Sake House

Sake House
Originally uploaded by cianna.

Last night actually took myself out to dinner at Sake House Miro on La Brea. Very fun little sushi place that claims it's real Tokyo style, and I buy it based on my 3 days in Tokyo. Yum!

Tonight went out for Filipino food with a coworker. After chatting with a friend in London today I'm thinking I need to get as much of this food as I can before I leave for Austria. Darn!

Phew! Just got back from Sacramento where I presented my big HIV document. I was fully prepared for the group to be angry with me just because they weren't involved in selecting me as a writer and because I made such radical changes in the document... but they were actually really happy! That's such a huge relief. Another draft to go, but all is well in the HIV writing world for me tonight.

Dump those U.S. coins!

IMG_0265
Originally uploaded by cianna.

Yesterday Troy dumped his last U.S. coins... very happily!

Today he left for Vienna. Kinda odd to think about, but he's very excited. Now I just have to figure out how to get there myself.

Gettin' Glammed

Gettin' Glammed
Originally uploaded by cianna.

Yesterday they used me as an extra for the TB episode. Here I am with a professional makeup artist making me look all girly. I'm wearing boots and skirt, too! You can't see the shirt, though, since I'm still wearing my sweatshirt to keep it clean.

So this helicopter crash wasn't important enough for Bush to mention in his press conference this morning? If I were related to any of the marines who died, I'd be livid. As it is, I just feel slightly ill every time I hear W talk.

Studying German in the mornings... Using RosettaStone.com. It's very cool! Thanks, Paul for turning me on to it!

I'm currently sitting at the Apple Store in the Grove. Waiting for my turn at the "Genius Bar." I'm glad they have a wireless network so I can keep myself busy.

Life feels really nutty at the same time it's strangely empty. I'm working a lot at Arcwelder, working on a big HIV writing project, and generally not much else. I talk to Troy via yahoo chat or IM, or by phone if he can find a signal. Life feels oddly like I'm waiting. Some of it is me preparing (studying German, trying to get future writing projects, reading about Austria), and that's an odd place to be.

I'm a little worried about getting work in Austria. And not at all sure how this whole "documentary career" is going to happen.

At some point I have to get my feet back in contact with the earth. I must remember the fabulous time we had clambering around in Carlsbad Caverns on New Year's Day. Somehow crawling through the mud, squeezing through small passages in the rock, and working my way down a crevasse with arms and legs spanning the gap -- and doing it all with Troy -- was just the most excellent thing.

In entirely other news... I have another nephew on the way!

That's it! Troy got his work permit from the Austrian government today so he has perhaps 2 more weeks in the U.S. Whew! Then it's off to Vienna! For those of you who actually use the blog to keep up, I'll post more details about the crazy last couple of months here soon. I do have internet now at home (finally) so I can post.