dusty foot philosopher

surroundings

i've had a fairly hectic beginning to the semester. the weight of all my commitments is beginning to sink in. i've just started a new job, and i have what i'm sure is the heftiest courseload i've ever attempted. in addition, i'm determined to preserve my health by making it to the gym most days of the week. i must simply put myself in the state of mind to accept that i will have very little free time. it will be an exercise for me, a spiritual discipline, to avoid falling into dead time. laziness. much of last semester was spent slacking, in my eyes, and i know i can do better. i will have to. what i'm trying to say is right now i am trying to be optimistic about my situation. i am incredibly blessed to even be in college, so later on when i feel like doing the opposite of diligently applying myself, i can look at this and find some kind of manna to see me through.

...

a provocative declaration i read in adbusters magazine today:

"world war 4 is a guerilla information war, a clash of idealogies, buisness models, economic paradigms, religious beliefs & alternative visions of the future, happening inside your head right now. becoming a combatant in this meme war is the only way to be truly alive in the 21st century"

...

when i am battling to keep my weight in check and avoid sugary choices, i need to be remembering the children and families in haiti and other countries who have to augment their food shortages with mud cookies, made of dirt, salt, and vegetable shortening.

LISTENING TO: k'naan "the dusty foot philosopher" cd
i was recently introduced to this artist. k'naan is from somalia. his father went to new york to work and sent his son rap cd's. k'naan learned to rap before he learned english, which happened after he and his mom escaped somalia on the last commercial flight to leave the country in the early 1990's. his story runs much deeper and thicker than i will tell here. maybe his lyrics, which focus on the plight of children and communities in poverty, on the real ghettos and injustices, will tell the story better. i have my favorite tracks, but the cd is pretty solid. check him out on myspace or wikipedia.