Project Work

If I have to hear the words

remediating,
resourcing,
or
rebaselining

one more time...

The Age of Applications

Lately I feel as though I am entering a period of applications for dropout-related activities. Mostly unpaid standalone experiences or internship positions, and one academic course. All of the applications involve some writing, either about myself - my experience and motivations - or about a given topic related to my current interests.

It's almost like a light version of the actual work/course/experience, and although I feel overwhelmed with trying to fit these things into my life while I have no internet at home (thanks a lot Sky Broadband), and intimidated by the tasks at hand and the calibre of the other applicants, the actual work involved - the sitting down and thrashing out the submission - gives me so much hope and energy, and knowledge or clarity on my own thoughts. I feel like I become better with each one.

Of course with applications come rejections. I haven't had too many direct ones, but I have one or two I can infer from a lack of response. I don't feel too bad about them - glad I tried, feel like I learnt from the process, etc. But in 20 rejections' time I'll have to see how I'm feeling.

Coconuts Keep Falling On My Head

How am I supposed to work when there is so much juicy stuff going on in the world today?!


Arguably two of the most politically interesting countries - India and the US - come together today as Obama visits India, during Diwali, an Indian microfinance crisis, a US mid-term backlash against the Demo's, and a clean-up of coconuts from the trees of Mumbai to protect Mr Obama's head. There are too many interesting articles on diplomacy and foreign policy to be read, Sri Lanka beat Australia in cricket, again, and Sarah Palin is entertaining me too much.

Moreover, all of this reminds me that I'm going to be in Sri Lanka, and maybe India, for over a month in Dec/Jan. I'm actually leaving this job, after complaining about it for the better part of a year. Fixed my leaving date. It's really happening this time. And as I was going to Sri Lanka anyway, and January is not a great time to be looking for work, extending the trip just made sense. It will mostly be an amazing holiday, but I should also be able to explore a few of my dropout-related interests.

So, with all of this in mind, how can I possibly work today?

The Reporter in Me

Some of my work involves writing little reports on an issue - background, current state, detail on specific issues, conclusions and recommendations... that kinda thing. I quite like this kind of analysis - taking a mass of (often conflicting) data, documents, emails and conversations and making it into something coherent.

You could say that one component of my job is investigating issues, and another (unfortunately the much bigger part) is spec'ing out the solutions. The investigative part, though exasperating at times, is really quite enjoyable.

And if you're all thinking 'hmm that sounds like a very journalisty thing to say', you are probably right.

I only wish the subject matter was more interesting, and the language more colourful. One day.

A Really Good School

I'm applying for the Masters in International Affairs programme at Columbia University. More on that later, but first...

Almost everytime I tell anyone about this, especially people who actually know the American university system, I get the same response: "That's a reeeeally good school!" (said with some mix of admiration and pessimism).

No shit. That's why I'm applying there.

Ugh, This Is Tripe

I really need to remember this - the importance of writing regularly (even if you are busy or uninspired). I haven't written much lately, and now I'm trying to write something about a travel experience. I am so out of practice and I feel like I can't properly convey my feelings - as though I have lost all my descriptive powers.

I keep reading it back to myself thinking 'ugh, this is tripe'. It's probably not too bad to read as tripe goes, and there's probably worse stuff in the world that gets published, but it doesn't feel real to me and I know I can do so much better than this, so that makes it tripe.

I know I am doing the right thing trying to write something now, and that I will get back into it if I keep trying, but I am really not enjoying the feelings of frustration at my self-inflicted inadequacy.

As usual I take it all out on my friends and my blog - the best therapists.

Passion Lives Here

When I grow up, I want to be Isabel Allende. A wonderful storyteller, a bestselling author, a compassionate activist (there is another kind of activist, I think) who is strengthened by her femininity and inspired by the best of the human spirit. Sounds good to me.

If you can't watch the video, you can find it here.