So here is a little more about me, since it didn't fit in my profile.
Before I speak, I have something to say. This is in no way a complete outline of my life or who or what I am. This is just a convenient way of satisfying curiosities and informing people who would like to get a better notion of who it is that I am. I am either much more interesting or much more boring than all of this blabber, it depends on what your personal opinion is. I know mine, and I would say that I know myself fairly well, although I don’t know too much about my first days of life, because I was born very young. In fact, I was so surprised when I came into this world that I didn’t speak for a year. But I figured it was better than a dark, watery chamber, so I decided to stay and try out oxygen and solid food. So where do I start? Well, for the sake of brevity I will write only a short summary...I was born in Miami, I am of Cuban descent, and I currently attend and am in the employ of the University of Florida. I wake up, have breakfast, go to work, have lunch, go to class, come home and eat, and go to sleep, and wake up the next day and do it all over again. It's a generally enjoyable experience, although I encounter some ferret-faced shyster along the way now and then. Although there may be times when I feel that my work goes for naught, I reconsider and think that if I can make an impression on one person a day, myself included, then it is all worth it. As I sit in my office hours waiting, I contemplate various ideas and ponderings. One conclusion I have come to is that if it’s true that our species is alone in the universe, then I’d have to say that the universe aimed rather low and settled for very little. Also, I enjoy watching some sports, but I believe in calling things what they are. Swimming is not a sport. Swimming is a way to keep from drowning. That’s just common sense! Another thought that is gnawing at my mind is that isn’t it a bit unnerving that doctors call what they do “practice”? It’s always embarrassing to ask a doctor what his fee is, but if you are going to go you’d better find out how much you’re going to be rooked. When it comes to real obscurantism, no group has been as successful in concealing its shady activities as the medical profession. The dentist is another individual who gaily drills your wallet in addition to your teeth. He then informs you that you must floss more often and brush four times a day so that you can scrape the enamel off very effectively, thereby making it more convenient for him to charge your 200 dollars for a mini tube of toothpaste and a brush so small that it can only brush a tooth at a time. As you turn to say goodbye, three of his teeth fall out. It is my humble opinion that as much as 60% of doctors deserve to be tossed in the clink for highway robbery. I drive my car and adhere to the general regulations, but I don’t like to think of laws as rules you have to follow, I like to consider them more as suggestions. As I cruise the campus at the surprisingly difficult speed of 20 miles per hour, I see various cars with different messages on them which are just there to divert your attention from traffic activity. Here’s a bumper sticker I’d like to see: “We are the proud parents of a child whose self-esteem is sufficient that he doesn’t need us promoting his minor scholastic achievements on the back of our car.” Another problem we have on campus is that the lesser privileged solicit money from the students. Poverty of course is a shame to see in a country such as the one we live in, but I have noticed that I’ve never seen a homeless guy with a bottle of Gatorade. To my mind, History is a very interesting topic, and it occurred to me the other day as I was walking from one classroom to the next as I saw the American flag that George Washington’s brother, Lawrence, was the Uncle of Our Country. I attend church fairly often, yet I believe that the temple of God is in your heart. Nowhere in the bible does it say that you must go to church in order to be saved. If some religions are monotheistic and others polytheistic, then Atheism is a non-prophet organization. I have considered studying Law, especially after seeing how easily some lawyers make a living in this country. These racketeers find irresponsible fading pop stars and spend years and years living off of their shenanigans. Also, I would just like to say that “No comment” is a comment. I enjoy the outdoors for a limited period of time, I enjoy the beach and consider the sea the only place that man will never completely conquer. I enjoy get-togethers and social reunions; in other words, parties. Whether they involve a plate of hors d’oeuvres and a bevy of martinis, or just chips and beer, I believe that social interaction is a crucially necessary factor in human life, and yet finding a party on campus with decent food I as scarce as hens’ teeth. (I don’t know why people insist on using this silly simile when even the rooster knows that the hen hasn’t any teeth, and very little of anything else. I believe that there is love, and that there is lust. I also believe that all you need is love. I recently heard that somebody found Tony Bennett’s heart in a hotel room in San Francisco…I guess he just left it there…but this is just pure conjecture on my part. I enjoy visiting New York and when I leave for that city, I ask people to spread the news and I feel I want to be a part of it, because I want to wake up in the city that doesn’t sleep. I recently visited the Empire State building, and I realized that I don’t have a fear of heights. I do, however, have a fear of falling from heights. I hope that my tirade hasn’t fallen on closed ears, and look forward to your reactions and comments. Thanks and come again, and remember that everybody loves somebody, and I love all of you, or most you, rather.
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CUBA
This may seem a bit out of place, but it's something I thought I'd like to share on my blog.
This is a video I always show to my classes on culture days. It always amazes me at first to hear how many students do not even know where Cuba is or why they can't go...most of the time when I ask what they know about Cuba, they say that they know Cuban cigars and rum, and Fidel Castro. Oh, Fidel...once again, he has succeeded in catching the world's eye by supposedly resigning from power this week...which means absolutely nothing as long as he's still breathing.
Most of my students are intrigued when we talk about Cuba, because I usually bring in personal items, such as plane tickets and magazines and photographs, all faded with time, much like the country itself. I also take this opportunity to remind them of how lucky they all are, as am I, to have been born in this country, and that we should never take for granted the fact that we are Americans.
I talk about this topic fully aware of the fact that politics is usually a subject that most people like to keep out of the classroom, and I think that a lot of our society's problems would be solved if people weren't so afraid to air their opinions once in a while. Almost all of my students have thanked me, not only for showing these videos on Cuba, but also for making them aware of the fact that being American is a privilege, and not a right. It was very satisfying for me both as a teacher and an American of Cuban descent to see that my words made my students appreciate their country.
A lot of them are also surprised by the fact that teachers are arrested for teaching democratic ideas and for reading certain books to their students. Most of the things that happen in Cuba are not even fathomable to people who don't see past the beaches and palm trees. It just goes to show you that things are not what they seem, and that until things are exposed, the world will see Cuba the way Fidel sees fit, and unfortunately, so much time has gone by, that most of the people who were primarily affected by his ideals are now dead, in addition to the indifference many people have in regards to Cuba and its situation.
I would like to be wrong, but the more time goes by and the more I see the way Castro skillfully plans his exit, and the more the world buys it, the more I believe what he said during the early days of the revolution,
"History will absolve me."
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