“It has become appallingly obvious that our technology has exceeded our humanity.” -- Albert Einstein
Isn't it funny how, as elementary students, we had such an emphasis on being able to write legibly - when the capital letters touched the top line, and the lower-case couldn't go above the middle? We wrote in cursive, and we wrote entire stories like that. Today, the only cursive I can write is my signature, and I always leave the 'e' out of Bradley. Bradly. Thank God for Word. But then again, I guess at one point even the pencil was considered technology. I was going somewhere with this but had to leave it for another day, so I'll just turn it into a rant.
Things are going well in North Carolina. Navitat is gaining popularity by the day and we have been working much more often. Yesterday, I got to spend a few hours answering phones and making reservations and what not, and other days I get to sit on the platforms for hours on end taking pictures of guests - each of these tasks interrupts the monotonous task of guiding and gives me more appreciation for it. Some things never change, though. The other day I had a 10 year old girl freeze on the fourth platform of the course. Throughout a span of about 20 minutes I tried to convince her to move on to the next platform, where she could easily be lowered down. The tone in my voice went from calming and encouraging to teeth-clinched seriousness - to the point I attached myself to her, held her hands on her trolley, and kicked her legs out from underneath her. It wasn't her fault, she just got scared; and I did my job.
A number of times throughout the last week I've had my eyes well-up with tears. The U.S. tied England in our World Cup opener. Number 14 ranked U.S. vs. Number 8 ranked England turned out to be a game and a half if you watched it. The moment we watched that ball dribble out of the hands of the keeper and past the goal line shouts erupted and high fives were had by all. The next game, after a long, long 80 or so minutes, Michael Bradley scored the game tying goal against Slovenia - after being down 2-0 for a good portion of the game. Despite an unfortunate call at the last minute, we continued on in typical fashion. Our last game of pool play against Algeria was the greatest game in U.S. soccer history to this day; quote me on that. If it weren't for injury time, we would have tied the game 0-0 and it would have felt like 2006 all over again. I screamed so hard after our goal that my jaw literally popped out of place and I couldn't shut my mouth. Landon Donovan could be one of the most humble players I've seen in a long time. Seeing the relief (and unbelief) in his face during his post-game interview was enough to make me sit down and take a deep breath to hold back my own tears with no one watching. So three times, because of soccer, I've teared up in the last week.
I also was lucky enough to go see a Mason Jennings concert at the Orange Peel in Asheville. It's one of the top five venues in the country. I hadn't heard much of him, but I went along anyways knowing that if my managers and Jackson were going to see him, he had to be good. He played a song called "The Field" from a parent's perspective of their child in the war. After the show I told Jackson that the song was absolutely the best war-themed song since the 70's (not that I actually know that). I wasn't the only one tearing up. So many people have been affected by these conflicts in the last, what? Nine years? that it's almost impossible to not have some feedback about it.
"If I was the President, if I was that man - I would walk out with those kids, I would cross the sand. If I was the President if I was that brave - I would take a shovel there, dig each child their grave. If I was the President if my world turned black - I would want no victory, I'd just want you back."
Four times I've teared up in the last week.
