Lists: Milez loves these things

Kuwait...Between Iraq and

The hard spots:

-Lost my camera. Gave it to my dad to put in his bag but somehow it did not make it to Jordan. We think that somehow it got picked out of the luggage. I was really loving that thing too. Perfect size for trips and really good quality. I was just getting used to it.

-Going to the movies in kuwait sucks. Big time. Not only is the selection weak (of the choices i decided to go see Fools Gold) the way the films are edited is really awful. I am currently in a country that has more of a problem showing pictures of people kissing on the big screen that it does showing people being killed, murdered, shot, and smashed to bloody bits. Its not just kissing that is taken out of the movies either. There was this one scene where the characters were talking to a priest and they muted the priests response and then cut the whole scene out.

To be fair I think i would have been surprised by how much i enjoyed the movie if i could have understood the whole thing, some parts seemed pretty funny.

The most ejnoyment I got out of the trip was being one of 3 or so people laughing in the theater at the subtly sexual parts because the "ministry of think good" didn't know enough to take those parts out.

-The other night i was at the beach with my family and i came across a group of Indians playing drums and enjoying the evening. It was nice but unfortunately it was spoiled by the small group of Kuwaiti boys who were harassing them by dancing around them screaming, shouting, and I think even splashing water on them. Blatant racism. I wish i could have intervened but figured i should wait until I have a better grip on the language, the "justice," system and a baseball bat. And i guess I shouldn't have my little sister with me either. We did have a good discussion about racism in the car though.

A few of the good things

+ going to the gym has been great. I am running about 2 miles regularly now and lifting weights on a regular basis. Sam would be so proud. I Just wish that there was something active that I could get involved in on a regular basis. like soccer or just about anything competitive. I also wish that I was gaining weight here but its just not happening. I eat like a fiend though seriously, I put away rice like there is no tomorrow.

+ new cd's i downloaded. Gnarles Barkly-odd couple, Talib Kweli- Eardrum, and Erykah Badu-New Amerykah. While I dont feel like I can listen to any of these Cd's straight through yet (i am sure they will grow on me in time like all my favorite cds do) some of the tracks on these cds just blow my mind. On the GB cd it feels like Dangermouse reached all the way back to some 50's pop for some inspiration, sprinkled on some 70's, and then dropped it in the hear and now to knock our socks off. Cee-lo is as good as ever, gospel funk master that he is. Some of the more experimental tracks haven't hit me just yet but that may be because I am trying to digest how good the first four songs on odd couple really are.

+ keeping busy. I am really glad that I have been able to keep things on my plate here. Between meeting new people and spending time with family I have done a pretty good job of staying busy. Maybe too well honestly. I should be spending more time on my arabic but ive never been very good at doing homework. The time that i spend without much on my plate has felt like a conscious decision and not just a lack of something to do. A chance to catch my breath.