slumdog millionaire...

we're finally going to see this today. i've waited so long to see it. my sis A told me she saw it last weekend and thought it was simply a phenomenal movie. she said it reminded her of parts of her trip to india. i've had some people say that india is a country you either love or hate. i simply loved it, chaos and all with an assault of the senses at every corner. a review of the movie to come later.


Slumdog Millionaire trailer

الجزيرة نت

during my time in the middle east a couple weeks ago i found myself watching Al Jazeera. despite it's controversy in various parts of the world, it was more refreshing to watch than the news that is portrayed here in the united states. in a new six part series the author and journalist Phil Rees traveled to south asia, the middle east and the americas to explore the debate and meaning of the word "terrorism". looks like a really interesting series as it not only focuses on terrorism in the middle east but elsewhere such as the FARC from Colombia.

Buhler...

every day when i take pabu for a walk we usually end up on the university campus. we sneak our way in the large auditorium building and he gets to run around like crazy in the lobby. he absolutely loves it. along the walls in the lobby there is a beautiful watercolor set in several large sequence panels. the work is by Gary Buhler. Gary's watercolors portray Northwest scenes of rivers, riverbanks, waterfalls and surrounding landscapes painted in rich blues, greens, and golds with bright white representing the rippling and splashing water. his unique paintings reveal hidden salmon and trout darting in and out of the water scenes. it truly is a beautiful watercolor. here is one of his pieces titled Little North Santiam.

soldiers of conscience...

when is it right to kill? in the midst of war, is it right to refuse? eight U.S. soldiers, some whom have killed and some who have said no, reveal their inner moral dilemmas in Soldiers of Conscience. made with official permission of the U.S. Army, the film transcends politics to explore the tension between spiritual values and military orders. this is something that would be interesting to explore a bit more. i saw on the PBS website they display a suicide hotline number. this along with other forms of encouraging veterans to seek counseling, is great to see. the high rate of PTSD upon service members returning from Iraq and Afghanistan is astounding.

a day in pdx...

today i went to portland to visit N and we had to peek in at The Hip Hound, which is definitely a hip place to shop for all your dogs needs. they carry really good holistic dog food as well as raw food, which i hear more people are using these days. we looked at some pretty cute clothing items but i wasn't ready to plop down $56 for a trendy looking sweater!


we had fun though and pabu got lots of attention. i got him some great frozen treats, despite it being winter, and some cranberry powder. he's on antibiotics for a urinary infection, so after he is off this i'm going to use this natural cranberry powder. after checking out the doggie shop and a wonderful japanese antique shop we headed to grandma's for lunch. lots of fun!

downward dog...

i went to yoga the other night and there was a different instructor. it caught me off guard for a bit and for some reason i didn't feel totally balanced. she was fine but you just get used to what is familiar to you. then there were tons of people packed in the room which left little room for any form of relaxation. oh well... :)

home again!

back to the real world of studying as i complete a research proposal this evening. it is nice to be home though in a clean bed with clean sheets and clean towels. naturally, it is great to be around 'the beast' once again. this picture was taken in Petra walking up the 800 steps to The High Place. more pictures to come on my Picassa Album.

the crossing...

i finally made it early this evening after 4 hours of interrogation. :) welcome! i'm tired and headed to bed. more stories to come!

leaving aqaba...

i'm heading out tomorrow back to amman and then on to the border crossing with israel the next day. i'll be crossing just a little north of the Dead Sea. i have thoroughly enjoyed the warm weather of Aqaba yet it's time to leave. in other news, there sure are some cute pictures of Pabu here! looks as though he is having a ball!