We. Are. Golden.

I'm pretty sure everyone wishes that they had a soundtrack to their lives. I do. I really, really do. That would be so cool. It would also completely validate the already melodramatic thoughts I have in my brain everyday.

Along that same vein, I've always dreamed of making a hilarious, but heart-felt music video with friends. I mean, who hasn't? Sooo, as my departure approached last spring, I decided that I had to do a music video with my two best guys/gays, Nate and Dustin. What better time than just before I dramatically depart for the wilds of Latin America (or something like that)?

So, we got together on an unseasonably cold (you can't tell from my outfit but I was FREEZING) spring afternoon and made a video to Mika's "Happy Ending". Nate learned how to edit and put it all together in ONE day. He and Dustin Skyped me for the premier two nights ago...I've been gone for almost two months now and I think this is the part where I start feeling a little home-sick from time to time and reflecting on the things and people I miss. I am so happy to be here, but sometimes, when a Friday night (or a Tuesday or a Wednesday...) rolls around, I'd like nothing more than to be giggling between my two favorite boys. Needless to say, this brought tears to my eyes.

The following video was improv'd on the spot, is completely cheesy, over-the-top, and in my opinion, a dorktastic masterpiece. Enjoy! (Oh, and there's 9 minutes of this cheese, so don't stop watching after the first song!)

PS- My friends don't do coke...those double image shots are from a photo project that Nate did.

The 4th

A few (fellow American) people have recently asked me if Costa Rica celebrates July 4th. I understand it could be a simple assumption, considering the United State's empirical pull across the world...but no, as far as I can tell, there were no BBQ's, parades or fireworks in honor of the USA, in this, another country, today. Go figure.

Although, maybe I wouldn't be completely surprised, as I struggle to find an obvious, defined culture here in Costa Rica, between the Hooters, Wendy's, and True Value. Sure, I feel at home, but that wasn't the point, was it? Two of the five classes I'm teaching take place in offices, and my students are employees whose companies have been bought out by American corporations and are now required to learn English. One of these students simply does not want to learn, but will lose his job if he doesn't. Yeah. Not quite as enriching as the other classes I teach in a school with willing learners.

I wish I could say that my heart-strings feel a tug when I hear the US national anthem. I wish I could say that simply seeing the American flag fills me with a proud warmth...but it doesn't. It would be nice, though, wouldn't it? If all the things that our songs, anthems, banners and signs claim to represent were true? Wouldn't it be great if the United States of America were brave, revolutionary and bold?

I know, how dare I expect more of and question my home country?! Why not just sing the songs and wave the flag and pretend that because my white, upper-middle class existence has been cushy, cozy and all too comfortable, that must mean that America is really not so bad.

I was glad to see I'm not alone in my sentiment (or lack thereof) as I read Howard Zinn's "Put Away the Flags" and Matthew Rothschild's "Why I Don't Celebrate the Fourth" in The Progressive today:

We need to refute the idea that our nation is different from, morally superior to, the other imperial powers of world history.

We need to assert our allegiance to the human race, and not to any one nation.

- Howard Zinn

American patriotism has also gotten in the way of solving global warming. Many in the United States, which consumes 25 percent of the world’s resources but has just 4 percent of the world’s population, believe we have the God-given right to use up all the resources we can. And there is an all-too-common attitude that we don’t need to listen to any other countries, or the U.N., or obey any international agreements because we’re Americans, and we’re better than everybody else.

We’ve got to get over patriotism, and we’ve got to cure the American superiority complex.

- Matthew Rothschild

Nationalism is the egg that hatches fascism.

And patriotism is but the father of nationalism.

Patriotism is not something to play with. It’s highly toxic. When ingested, it corrodes the rational faculties.

It gulls people into believing their leaders.

It masks those who benefit most from state policy.

- Matthew Rothschild

Home

Greetings from the Jungle! (Specifically Cabuya, outside of Montezuma.) There are monkeys in the trees and creepy crawlers in the grass. I am far from home but I am happy. One my new friends here, Lauryn, has fantastic taste in music and has been our resident DJ on this trip. She shared this song with me this morning and I swear I've heard it before, but can't remember when, where, or who with, but from now on I will associate it with a morning in the jungle abroad, so I suppose that's probably cooler anyway...

Here's "Home" by Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeroes:

Michael McIntyre

Hey, it's been awhile. Sorry. I moved to Costa Rica, where I've made some international friends. Costa Ricans, you assume? You assumed wrong; some of the friends I've made are English...actually, one friend I've made is English and she lives with other English people. I spent some time with my English friend and her friends the other evening and they were kind enough to share some English comedy with me, particularly the comedy of Michael McIntyre.

Here are some clips from his show at the Hammersmith London Apollo Theatre:

Just Joshin'

I'm supposed to be packing tonight, but instead I ordered Thai food from Ben's Noodles and Rice (for probably the last time while living here) and have been listening to tunes on Groove Shark. I've heard some Josh Ritter, but I've finally started to delve into his repertoire this evening and...I think I've fallen for him.

Here he is doing "Kathleen" live...

(Really, how could I not choose this song?)

Word.

“The arts are not a way to make a living. They are a very human way of making life more bearable. Practicing an art, no matter how well or badly, is a way to make your soul grow, for heaven’s sake. Sing in the shower. Dance to the radio. Tell stories. Write a poem to a friend, even a lousy poem. Do it as well as you possibly can. You will get an enormous reward. You will have created something.”

Kurt Vonnegut

Sassy Gay Friend

Hi I'm Kate Sammon, writer of this blog, and I'm here to share something very funny from the world wide web with you . It's the Second City network's "Sassy Gay Friend" sketches! I have compiled three sketches for your viewing pleasure:

Sassy Gay Friend: Romeo and Juliet

Sassy Gay Friend: Hamlet

Sassy Gay Friend: Othello



'Njooyyyyy :)