My Initial Thoughts

As a rule, I dislike blogs. Firstly, the blog is a self-gratifying, inane and presumptuous invention. Secondly, and perhaps more importantly, I abhor the term "blog." People have used "blog" to birth an entire, hideous, new vernacular: blogging, blogger, blogosphere, etc.--all words that I wince at when I hear them uttered (the same applies for the rest of that technocratic twaddle...you know what I'm talking about..."webinars" and the like.) I would much prefer the term "web journal," except that it implies a level of intimacy with which I am not planning to grace you. Thus, I am reduced to blog, and as such, I must admit that my own activity--the very act of writing this--may lend credence to the suggestion that I am a blogger. I will deny the accusation to my death.

However, since most of what I do seems to be self-gratifying, inane and presumptuous, I cannot pretend that this is not a natural course of action. Thus, instead of titling this a "blog," I will title it a "discourse." And instead of titling myself a "blogger," I will much prefer it if I am referred to as the "Principal Dialogic Contributor."

Now that we have that settled, let me introduce the reasons for which I have begun this discourse. For one, I was reminded by a friend of the pleasures of such an activity. Not only does my friend have something to say, it's actually pretty good what he's saying. I cannot promise either, but I can promise that my own ennui has prompted me to begin this, and most likely it will prompt me to forget it very soon. Next in line as a reason is that I can try to keep people updated on my current situation. I wouldn't go so far as "tweeting" and the like. I will have no such nonsense. But if I am successful in this, those who are legitimately concerned about my well-being may track the trivial despairs and Pyrrhic victories of my quotidian existence.

So let me begin by saying that in 7 days (18 May 2009), I leave for Malaysia. I will be staying there until July 29, and most likely traveling around Southeast Asia with my girlfriend, Villie. She is from Malaysia, so I am not worried. She also lives in a three-story chateau nestled in an affluent, gated community...so I don't have to be anxious about enraged and impoverished Malaysians surrounding the house with torches and pitchforks demanding American blood. But don't let me frighten you. I have been informed that the greatest tragedy that might befall me there will most likely be intense bowel dysfunction for a period of two weeks or so as I get used to prized Malaysian dishes such as "pork ball noodles." I am rather excited to introduce my Epicurean palette to such delicacies.

While there, I will try to take pictures posed in front of buildings, monuments and sunsets, which will be distributable to grandmothers worldwide in two sizes: wallet and picture frame. I will be smiling, sunburned and sweating as mosquitoes dine dizzily on fresh meat (fear not, I have already gotten malaria pills, tetanus shots, hepatitis shots and typhoid shots--the only thing I missed out on was the rabies shot, but if I stay away from rabid dogs and monkeys, I should be okay).

Second in line, my paper on the homeless in Arlington is complete. It is entitled, "Angelic Vagrants: Agency, Discourse and Otherness, A Modest Case Study of the Homeless in Arlington, Texas." The title itself should be an indicator of what you may expect. It is 50 pages in length exactly. This has some significance as 1.) it is 10 times the minimum page requirement, 2.) 5 is my favorite number and 3.) I promised a homeless friend, Shane, that I would make 50 pages. He said that when I was finished, I should bring it to him so that he could go out and buy a folder for it. As he told me, "No matter what, if it's the only thing I have, I will keep this with me for as long as I live."

I would post the paper in its entirety, but blogger doesn't allow for simple procedures such as tabbing and footnoting, both of which are crucial to my ponderous and labyrinthine style. Therefore, I will send the paper on request, and you can read it at your leisure or your disleasure. Be forewarned that it has not really been proofread. It frightens me too much to read it, so it may be rife with a whole host of redundant polemics and typos...or it could just be brilliant.

Next in line, is that I believe I will be staying at U.T.A. I have pondered U.D., but I don't think I have the time to apply now, and with all that has been going on, I don't think I would ever have had the energy. U.T.A. is not a bad school, and it will allow me to explore my options in comm studies, french and english. More and more, I am becoming enamored with the written word. It might just be that my jaunt as an anthropologist is coming to an end...or it could be that it is just beginning...we shall see.

Check often for updates. There just might be some.

Trey