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November 26, 2005
Only The Good Die Young...
Merlino--never caught without a smile.
The best midnight conversationalist I have yet to meet, comfortable enough in his own skin to share his (seemingly endless)ambitions with me over a milkshake and chili fries at the diner. And somehow, around him, you always felt a bit more comfortable about yourself.
I don't think it is a coincidence that he passed on the same day as George Best (within hours, in fact). Both attained the status Great without the world ever knowing their full potential.
Alex Merlino, 1986-2005.
Posted by ami6 at 05:14 PM | Comments (2) | TrackBack
November 25, 2005
Remembering The Best...
Every newspaper headline in London today read some variant of the same line: Football Legend Dead. It did not need to read George Best (though some did), as most knew to immedialey associate Football Legend with the name.
Learing to dribble with tennis balls on the streets of Belfast, N. Ireland, Best's 'genius' was quickly revealed. At aged 17 he began what would be a short 11 season career with Manchester United in which his talent for the game left Pele to remark, "He is the best football player in the world." After retirement, Best was asked what it meant to be considered amongst the greatest athletes in the world of all time. He responded, "It just means I don't have to try as hard to be better than everyone else." His relentless confidence (a 'healthy arrogance' I think) made him a striker who probably did not surprise himself after scoring six goals in one match.
Outside the glamour of football, Best lived a life of distraction and bad judgement. Instant stardom at age 17 led him a few years later to comment, "I spent a lot of money on birds, fast cars and women. The rest I just squandered." Unsuccessful botique endevors and night clubs alongside a drinking problem gave Best less than pleasant (and sometimes less than true) headlines in the paper. By age 27, he called it quits, and would never reach his prime.
He is remembered as a Great--despite a troublesome life outside football--with perhaps the most startling thing about him, he attained this status without ever reaching his prime.
George Best, 1946-2005.
Posted by ami6 at 02:48 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
November 22, 2005
Weekend in Scotland...
It took ten busses and four trains, but in three days I manged to cover four major cities (Glasgow, Edinburgh, St. Andrews and Stirling) and make it back in time for Monday evening lecture.
A few photos...
Sky line of Edinburgh.
Interestingly, this arrow also pointed to the place where I stayed for the night. Hmm... yeah, about that...
At the world famous 'home of golf' St. Andrews Old Course trying to climb out of a bunker.
At the William Wallace Monument. Arriving an hour after it closed, we initally tried to plead with man locking up the gates to let us in. Yeilding no sympathy for us Americans (--surprised?), we had no choice but to wait for his departure, then hurdle the necessary barriers and made our trek up the hill. I think William would have been proud...
Posted by ami6 at 01:39 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
November 21, 2005
Serious Side of Scotland...
I noticed tonight
That the world has been turning
While I am stuck here
Looking onto the shores of St. Andrews, Scotland.
A four-day weekend in Scotland--with a planned highlight of re-celebrating my birthday and some less-than-trendy, but still popular tourist attractions--instead showcased a conversation with volunteer at the museum gift shop. Trying to understand relations between England, Ireland and Scotland, I sought answers that had their explanations come through a talk of nationalism. Ignortanly, I must admit, I began to frame these ideas in the time of William Wallace's Legend (14th Century) only to have it updated by a summary of the communist rooted Scottish Nationalist Party lobbying today for compelte seperation from Parliment in London. Through further conversasion--which this woman so kindly offered--I learned much of the Celtic [pronounced with a 'k', kel-tick] tradition has its roots in a common bond of Ireland and Scotland against England. As the conversation developed another worker offered more input which forced me keep track of conversasion with a summary remark, "Essentially, nobody likes England." To this comment, the newest member of the conversasion responded, "Well, they're always in everyone's business fighting." This carried on for nearly 40 minutes, and I began to sense for some people the interface of these national identities was 'just banter'(as one suggested, probably in response to the worried look my face was developing) while for others a very real continuation of unforgotten wars. Also, unforgotten, are many of the identity-forming-traditions circulating today...
Many of the 'Highland Traditions' of Scotland such as the Bag Pipe and Kilt are in fact only recent (last 200 years) additions to their history. Though percieved as having a much longer history, these symbols form the basis for recent movements toward natinoal identity. Interestingly, following a wave of nationalism in Europe in the middle 19th century, Scotland built a significant monument for William Wallace ('The Braveheart') reviving nostalgia is Scotland gaining independence from England nearly 500 years prior.
Recent debates have cirlced about "inventing traditions" within anthropological writing. While the description of 'invented' is certainly misleading [as all cultures are constantly changing themselves, and therefor, constantly 'inventing'], the use of traditions seems to always come in the context of nationlist movements. This could not have been clearer than in my time spent this past weekend amongst the presented-to-be-unique Scotland locations I visited. I suspect, also, in my upcoming travels to find similar efforts made by other groups continually (re)molding their idenity through a lens imagined to be antique.
Posted by ami6 at 10:14 PM | Comments (1) | TrackBack
November 15, 2005
Turning 21...
15 November 2005 12:01AM (GMT)
Having my first proper drink (Belgian, interestingly enough) at the first moment possible with London's biggest time keeper.
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November 07, 2005
Second Visitor: Devraj comes to London...
From Left to Right: Elain, Lauren, James, Hannah, Sarah, Liz, Dev, Rachel and Andrew.
We went to none other than--The Rocket.
Posted by ami6 at 07:51 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
November 05, 2005
Affirming/Debunking Stereotypes...
Before arriving in London, I heard many times that life in Europe is 'slower', 'more relaxed' and 'leisurely.' Recognizing fully that Europe and the UK are not the same, and that even London is much different than the rest of England, I assumed I would still find this influence present. And within my first couple weeks here, I found (through the distorted lens of expecting it) that generalization to be right on. I recall one morning walking around London with two other friends (one British, one American) and having this conversation:
British friend: It is quite fast and busy here; reminds me very much of Manhattan. [He had visited once]
American friend: You would get _______ stampeded over if you walked like this in Manhattan. [She lives in Manhattan]
Me: Yeah [I visited twice]
That interaction (the interface of three comparing each others urban landscapes) further comforted me in my viewing of a slower life style here. But, there have been at least two peculiar locations of observation that have challenged this view, I would like to share:
1.) The London Tube is an efficient (if you can't figure out the bus system, you're in love with escalators, or you're traveling more than a zone) means of getting around. Many lines run trains nearly ever two minutes, as indicated by a continuously updated screen near the boarding platform. A most interesting station, King's Cross, is where my observation occurred. Here, six tube lines meet, each with two platforms meaning at any one moment, twelve trains could be arriving. For the most part, people stand on the escalators, then walk through the corridors to their platform. When, however, there is the sound of an arriving train (mind you, it could be any one of the twelve you are hearing) some people are inculcated with an immediate conviction to lengthen their stride, put on a flustered face, and make the just arrived train (if indeed it was theirs) to save a two minute wait. I, walking at a leisurely pace almost always notice those same people who raced by earlier still having to wait two minutes, as their gamble (1:12 odds) did not pay off.
2.) The UCL DMS Library is an extremely sought after resource here. To limit access only to it's members, one must swipe their library card on the way in passed a turn style gate. Also, to prevent cards from being passed around, one must also swipe their card to get out of the library as well. Typically, a small queue develops (go figure, in London?!) which always starts with that person who is in a rush, trying to get through as quickly as possible. When they reach the gate, and realize they need to swipe their card again, the frantic search for it takes place looking like a ritual dance, involving the opening and closing of all backpack pockets, coat pockets only to find it in their front trouser pocket. All the while, their face, like that of the tube hurrier, says, "I need to go--." It is peculiar how consistently people are surprised, or forget to have their card ready at this crucial time implicating barrier, and even more peculiar that you often see those very same people just outside the door chatting to a friend seemingly not in a rush after all.
Posted by ami6 at 01:39 PM | Comments (1) | TrackBack