Mental pleasantries

This still isn’t a description of Burundi, not quite yet. It’s just my thoughts. Actually it’s not even that – it’s just the thoughts I know how to write down. So it’s about 1/100^th of my thoughts. An amuse-bouche of ponderings and a circumlocution of an update.

…..

My freshman year I had to make a website for the Chapel Hill-Carrboro Resident’s Council for an APPLES class. I got it done and was pleased with the end product, but pretty much hated doing it. Then, because student groups often fail to trick someone into doing it for them, I ended up maintaining 3 other sites throughout college. Didn’t enjoy a one and I’ve gained a great appreciation for those people who do that stuff for you.

So I came to Burundi and I’m creating a website.

But anyway, um, ah, yeah…

BUT, I declare that if I’m going to spend the day in front of the computer fiddling with navigation bars and producing poor translations and seeing beautiful weather outside but not walking through it, I’m damn well going to bob my head in the process. Yeah. Yeah!

So I went to see him again. He should be my new best friend!

And I have a secret weapon to help me do it. Have had since freshman year, after discovering that Hannah Poston possessed the most unique dorm room on the hall and probably on most other halls: Arabic phrases scattered on every wall, tapestries hung, clothes used as interior decoration, poetry poetry poetry, a bookshelf dedicated to magical books (truly magical), a smelly roommate, and the most perfect music possible. Perfect because it fit her, it fit her room, and it had all the sounds and messages that I had always wanted to hear but didn’t know how to find. And I don’t think she knows it, but I’ve discovered almost of all of my favorite music through her.

Down the river, down the road, Little Rock, Tokyo, dusty trail, Flagstaff, in a faded photograph, Thunderstorm, Golden Sands, Cape of Horn, Pakistan, Surinam, Highway One, Chinatown, smoking gun…

So she made me a couple of beautiful CDs. To this day, iTunes recognizes them as that: Hannah’s Beautiful CD 1 and Hannah’s Beautiful CD 2.

They’ve got the perfect put-you-in-a-good-mood-no-matter-what songs. A lot of girl music. Not girly, but girl – power girl indy-pop. The storylines cute and smart, the tunes a perfect backbeat for cock-your-head-to-the-side-and-chicken-bob-at-the-neck dancing. Think Julia Stiles in 10 Things I Hate About You, but with more soul. Or if you’re lucky enough to conjure this image, think Hannah Poston.

Minneapoliiiiiiiis. Minneapoliiiiiis. Minneapoliiiiiis. MinneAP-ah-lis.

I’m sweating like mad in here. I put deodorant in my bag today so I could put it on after I walked back to work from lunch but it’s not going to do any good. What would do some good is a change of shirt and a fan. And probably not bobbing to music– no! Not an option.

Meet me at the backshop baa-a-by, you’ll bring a little ukulele, I’ll take a reel, make it alright, let’s make a song on the eight track tonight.

Alright so the contact page is done and the partners page is pretty close, at least the images worked – good, but they’re not working when I try to publish them, and is that how you say “…while it’s under construction” in French?

There is a beautiful woman in the office now. A Burundian doctoral student from a UK University and a lovely learned British accent. She’s writing her dissertation on women in peacebuilding in Burundi. Hey, I like peace and women too! In fact I can think of few better combinations. I might have to hit her up for her results once she’s developed a few. Or maybe she wants to contract me to do some legwork.

Op, it’s time to go. Right then.

Thanks Hannah.