Posted 3 years, 3 months ago in the wee hours by oso
September 20, 2003
El Jardin del Oriente
Habana Vieja, Cuba
"Absolute ideas must take relative forms if they are not to fail because of an error in form. Freedom, to be viable, has to be sincere and complete. If a republic refuses to open its arms to all, and move ahead with all, it dies."
Jose Marti- "Our America"
"Nations should live in an atmosphere of self-criticism because criticism is healthy …"
"There can be no racial animosity, because there are no races. The theorists and feeble thinkers string together and worm over the bookshelf races which the well-disposed observer and the fair minded traveler vainly seeks in the Justice of Nature where man’s universal identity springs forth from triumphant love and turbulent hunger for life. The soul, equal and eternal, emanates from bodies of various shapes and colors. Whoever foments and spreads antagonism and hate between the races, sing against humanity."
"There are affections of such fragile honesty"
- Jose Marti’s last written words
Bueno, I have much to write. Inspired by Martin, I’m listening to Yo-Yo Ma play Bach’s Cello Suites 1 and 3. That girl last night was right - something about Bach is orgasmic. I’m lucky to have met Priscilla and that last night she introduced me to her young artist friends. Unfortunately, I think I might have offended her last night. Well, either I offended her by leaving to early - with her friends - or she was simply sick of me. In fact, the night started with me unsure if visiting Priscilla was a good idea at all. After my Oreos and two Cokes - Conquistators and two Tropicolas - I found her apartment on the top floor. A three bedroom place where she lives alone.
I had woken her up from a nap - she was sleeping in her new hammock, she explained as she invited me in.
This will have to wait though … I’m ready to take off.
Well that entry sure as hell didn’t say much. I do distinctly remember sitting outside a little shack and munching on the Cuban version of Oreos, called Conquistadors, and drinking a couple Tropicolas. I promise it does get more interesting later though.
This morning I read an Op-Ed by David Brooks on something he calls “Cultural Geography” and I realized that all these years I’ve sorta considered myself an amatuer cultural geographer without ever articulating it. So what you’ll hopefully see in the upcoming entries is a young kid not trying to figure out whether Socialism or Capitalism is better, but why Socialism still exists in Cuba - what’s special about Cuba - compared to the rest of the world.
dude what the flock is going on here?? that post was confusing enough, but then you comment on it saying it doesnt make any sense?? you trying to confuse me, arent you. well confrapulations, oso. im all bemuddled.
Haha, Conquistators cookies.
I love oddly named products.
Oso,
Post aside, I am happy to see that you read David Brooks. I don’t know why, but he seems to be my favorite NY Times columnists.
Will check out the article. Thanks for posting the quotes.
Moreno,
I’m confused why you’re not Moreno anymore.
HP,
What I like about all the NY Times columnists is that so much of what they write transcends bi-partisanship. You read Brooks’ column about why he wasn’t voting for Dubya right? Neocon or not, he’s obviously a bright guy.
MA,
I’ve been looking for someone who uses IE 5 on Mac OS9 - does this page look completely messed up or what?
Actually, Maureen Dowd is admittedly very partisan. But she’s allowed to be because she’s so god damned funny.
Well, what can you expect, this afterall, this is the NY Times were talking about here, one of the most mainstream liberal news papers around.
So liberal, that even their ‘conservative’ columnist vote for non-Republican candidates.