Teach For America

Late last Thursday night, I submitted my application for Teach For America, an ultra-selective program that has become my top choice for post-graduation plans. While some Loyolans applaud its idealism but question its effectiveness, others find it to be a powerful and developing vehicle for social change. I hear back on my interview status a week from today (2/28), and if I'm given an interview, it will be sometime at the end of March.

Laying It On The Line

Downhill skiers are insane. I really don't know how else to rationalize recklessly hurtling your body down an icy hill at 65+ mph, where one minute slip on an already tenuous hold could send you tumbling head over heels into an awaiting precipice. But boy does it make for some great viewing! I must salute these wackos for their willingness to lay it all on the line, though. They have no fear, letting the thrill of pursuit guide them down the hill. They listen to their hearts, not their common sense. They respect a friend's chosen way of life, but know that they are called to something a little different.

Seeing the dangers that lie ahead of them, they push ahead full-throttle, anxious to get on with their quest. Each time they strap on their skies, they know full well it could be the last time they find their body intact. More often than not, they arrive at the bottom of the hill; sometimes victorious and sometimes disappointed, but always happy that they had the cojones to try. Now if I could only relate downhill skiing to my life. There's gotta be a lesson here somewhere...

Quote(s) Of The Day: Georg Hackl

georg hackl Originally uploaded by bgilmor.

Georg Hackl: German luge legend, beer connoisseur, and outspoken personality; only Olympian, Summer or Winter, to win five medals at the same invidual event ('88,'92,'94,'98,'02); given the nickname "The Flying White Sausage" because of his Bavarian roots and the traditional breakfast food in that region: "American beer is the first successful attempt at diluting water." "Great, so I get a free graveyard plot." -In response to being named an honored citizen of his hometown of Berchtesgaden, where he is also a representative in the local parliament. "We're both having problems with our left wing." -Comparing a left arm injury to the state of the Socialist Party in Germany after lackluster 2005 elections. The injury left him unable to lift a full beer with his left arm during Oktoberfest, which he found "very sad." I think I like this guy.

Torino: Passion Lives Here

The Winter Olympics are upon us, and I don't know about you, but I'm a sucker when it comes to this Olympic stuff. To me, and I know I might lose my Right To Drive A SUV for saying this, but the Olympic Games fascinate me much more than, say, the Super Bowl. There, I said it. For one, I'm a big story guy, and these games are storytelling on an epic level. For two weeks before the Super Bowl, we heard canned interviews, stories about players' hair, and story after story about the amazing coincidence that some millioniare was actually playing in the Super Bowl in his hometown! For 17 days during the Olympics, though, we are captivated by stories from people we never heard of before and probably never will again. We hear stories from their lives and how sport gave them hope to overcome. You hear nicknames like The Herminator, Flying White Sausage, and the Flying Red Tomato. For the majority of these athletes, their desire to compete is pure and their sport a passion, not a way to make big money. Most know they have little chance at standing on a medal podium, so for them, the victory is just their opportunity to be present and represent their country. Two, the Olympics represent a chance for athletes and spectators of the world to come together in celebration. Did you see the North and South Korea athletes walking in together to the Opening Ceremonies? In that case, sport accomplished what politicians cannot. The Games can offer a two and a half week symbolic respite from the discord of the world, suggesting that there is a way to live together peacefully. Three, I absolutely love being able to see the visuals and hear about the culture from some place I have not visited. This year's Olympics are at the foot of the Italian Alps, and of course not too long ago, I found myself on the other side of those majestic mountains, in Switzerand. Seeing these pictures return me to that international, cross-cultural state of mind that I was introduced to last year...a state of mind that I hope to hold on to forever. Four, no advertisements on the snow. No advertisements on the ice. Nothing "brought to you by...". Just competition. So excuse me while I remain horribly distracted for the next 17 days.

Taste of Belgium

tripel-karmeliet-glass
Originally uploaded by bgilmor.

Sometimes all you need is a beer to bring back wonderful memories.

Saturday night, with Elaine and Nick being the guests of honor for the weekend, a small group of us went to a bar, Hopleaf, in Andersonville which specializes in Belgian beer. Or, in my opinion, some of the best beer around not brewed by Arthur Guinness.

Belgian beer is an art form. For a country with about 10 million people, there are at least 500 different kinds of beer. Trappist monks brew beer from recipes that date back one millenia. And if you walk into a Belgian pub that has 300 kinds of beer, there will be 300 unique glasses, each carefully designed to maximize the flavor of its contents. Talk about dedication.

After looking at a menu with more than 200 different kinds of beer, only about four of which I felt confident in pronouncing, I decided on Tripel Karmeliet. I recommended the champagne-like Lambics to the girls, and the other guys joined me in taking shots in the dark.

We weren't disappointed. Spurred by the atmosphere and beer, our discussions turned international. Stories from abroad were told, and vague ideas to return were thrown around. Distant dreams were brought a little closer to home.

Due to the expensive nature of the imported beer, it's certainly not something I could do every weekend on a student budget. But once in awhile, if nothing else, it would totally be worth it to reinvigorate the imagination.

Quote of the Day: Graham Greene

"A story has no beginning or end; arbitrarily one chooses that moment of experience from which to look back or from which to look ahead." —Graham Greene, opening line of The End of the Affair (1951)