She walked into the class and noticed right away that no other students looked like her. All men. Many seemed to already be acquainted, or in a few cases, fast friends. Clearly they’d been through similar classes before. And halfway through the class, her fears were realized; everyone was more experienced than she was. More skilled.… Continue reading So THIS is a *tiny* glimpse into being a minority…
Category: people and relationships
People on Pedestals: Just Say No
Question: Why is sex on TV bad? Answer: Because inevitably someone falls off and gets hurt. Okay, so that isn’t entirely relevant to this post, but now that I have your attention… Question: Why shouldn’t you put people on pedestals? Answer: Because inevitably, someone’s gonna fall, and you’ll both get hurt. In another striking similarity,… Continue reading People on Pedestals: Just Say No
Giving rather than offering
Earlier this week, I was stuck in a queue on a couch at work, in between two friendly Googlers I’ll call Hanz and Gretel. Waiting, waiting, waiting, with more waiting to come. There was a beer and baklava party downstairs, so I thoughtfully (I thought) offered to bring back both H&G some treats. Both, after… Continue reading Giving rather than offering
Fashion vs. fit
A friend of mine recently posted a note (sorry, not publicly accessible) asking people what they thought about fashion. She’s quite the fashionista… and sadly, I am not. Here, for your reading pleasure, is the comment I wrote in response to her note: * * * Sorry, but I pretty much think negatively of “fashion.”… Continue reading Fashion vs. fit
Fall from grace – inevitable?
We create, we destroy. We build up, we tear town. People, companies, and relationships amongst them all. Perhaps on a small and personal scale, it may be possible to maintain strength and joy. I believe it is. But can this work on a bigger, louder canvas? I am not so sure. How many greats have… Continue reading Fall from grace – inevitable?
Dear FB, Twitter – We want narrowcasting, not just broadcasting!
Earlier this week, I wanted to send a Facebook message to my dancer friends in the Bay Area to invite them to a local event. I ended up manually sifting through my entire friends list, since there’s no way to invite or message an intersection of friends. Similarly, I wanted to post a twitter note to… Continue reading Dear FB, Twitter – We want narrowcasting, not just broadcasting!
A heartwarming story about bridging the culture gap
A gaggle of giggling young teens — pre-Facebook — pesters this cranky, lonely guy, and asks him… everything. Luxembourg, 1998. On a whim and with zero preparation, I’d decided to spend a weekend there, only to face crappy weather and a lack of available nearby hostels. After much schlepping, I wearily ended up in Echternacht at a… Continue reading A heartwarming story about bridging the culture gap
On public displays of affection — but not that kind
Today, we send and receive notes publicly in a way that seems shocking when viewed by communications standards just a decade ago. Expressions of friendship, social plans, etc. “I miss you!”…“Hey, are you going to Fred’s party tomorrow?”…“Save me a dance this Wednesday!”… etc. Why do we like this, why do we post rather than… Continue reading On public displays of affection — but not that kind
Facebook’s Frustrating Friending… and my reluctant choice
I have over 500 Facebook friends. That’s a statement to help you understand my predicament, not a badge of honor. Of these, a handful are close friends, a big bunch are “regular” friends, a ton of ‘em are colleagues with which I have varying degrees of social contact and interest, and an even larger ton… Continue reading Facebook’s Frustrating Friending… and my reluctant choice
Proposition 8 isn’t just about civil rights, it’s about love and commitment
Hi there, I don’t tend to post much about politics in this blog, especially nowadays. But I have something I want to talk to you about that’s more than “just politics.” It’s about my friends. It’s about—with semi-apologies to Princess Bride—True Love. For those of you who aren’t familiar with Proposition 8, I’ll quickly fill… Continue reading Proposition 8 isn’t just about civil rights, it’s about love and commitment