It's Officially Official

I've FINALLY cleared the legal and dental holds on my Official Application Status, so I can go to Ecuador for reals now. Yay! It only took one fairly ridiculous trip to the friendly credit union notary, rescheduling three dentist appointments, and two attempts by my dentist to write a letter stating that I had my three remaining wisdom teeth removed in January. I learned that the notary can't use her special stamp if you sign the wrong line, not all dentists can read directions, and the Peace Corps will accept documents with multiple handwritten and cross-out typos.

In other Official Business, I'm moving out of my apartment and back in with my parents in the next few days. I think we're all underwhelmed by this, especially since they are my movers and I can be unpleasant during the moving process. Surely they have other adjectives to describe my behavior, but for the most part, they (thankfully) keep that to themselves. How does that saying go again? Parents: can't live with 'em, don't have anywhere to live without 'em.

On top of packing, moving and working, I've been to two exciting events this week and there's a third tonight! I saw Michael Pollan on Friday, Noam Chomsky yesterday, and Dan Savage is tonight. It's almost like my philosophical trifecta! Well, minus Pollan and adding Marion Nestle. And Paul Farmer. And while we're at it, bring back Howard Zinn from the great beyond. Plus, Gloria Steinem! (Actually, she'll be here next week.)

Last Friday Pollan gave the keynote lecture at the Food For Thought conference at University of Portland, and yesterday I drove out to Pacific University in Forest Grove to see Noam Chomsky talk about the Middle East. Pollan is definitely the more dynamic speaker (he brought these! among other weird things) since Chomsky is about 100 years old and just mumbles into the microphone. Despite that, content-wise Chomsky blew Pollan out of the water. Just blew him right out! (TWSS.) Chomsky talked about Libya, Iran, Qaddifi, scandals, Israel, and a slew of other interesting factoids that he clearly just threw out into the conversation because he has this amazing ability to connect the historical dots. Plus, he spoke for a minute about labor unions and "corporate tyranny" and who doesn't love that? Sorry Pollan, fruit pizza can't compete.

 

Tonight I'm headed to Powell's City of Books, the most magical bookstore known to man, to see Dan Savage and his partner on their tour for the It Gets Better Project book. I'm not totally sure what to expect, but being a Savage Love groupie of sorts, I feel it is my duty to attend. Dan, I won't let you down!