Resolutions

There is a funny thing about new years resolutions other than the idea that arbitrary celebrations of the judo-christian calendar will result in anything more than a restrospective cry for deliverance of one's sins from the night before. The truly funny thing is that it's about this time of the year May / June that we start to realize maybe staying up till midnight wasn't the best turning point for changing our at times adolescent behavior. May 5th is that day for me.

So hi here I am fresh off a re-commitment to my initial commitment 5 months ago to keep all of you up-to-date on happenings here. Almost a full year from my last post but indeed here never-the-less. Cataloging the last year into anything manageable or choherent would be a task that not even our dear Obama would be up to so I won't even try. Rather let me leave you with some lessons learned as I speed down the African slop toward my close of service in March / April 2010.

Lesson 1:

Whatever your impression of Africa ... it is wrong. Whatever my impression of Africa it is probably more wrong.

Lesson 2:

Do things that are manageable. This goes out to all of us as individuals as we look for charities and to the development world in general as it tries to re-package and re-save the world over and over again. Billions don't always help but school fees always will.

Lesson 3:

The veil has fallen. Your, my, their lives have been extravegant and out of touch with the reality of the soul. Reality shows are not reality and no one who matters cares what your hand bag looks like. We all need to be careful what we import and export from and to the world. I see a lot of parents here doing a hell of a lot better job managing their children and lives than I see in the states. I also see a lot more potential in the American family than I have in others around the world. It's not your future that matters it's theirs.

Lesson 4:

Stay in touch with the one's you love, you never know when they'll be gone.

Lesson 5:

The box is hard to step out of but once your out you'll never want back in. Network, collaborate and seek out something new. Complacency is worse than apathy but typically its root. Everyday is a new day, there is always more to learn.

Lesson 6:

You are no different than me and I am no different than you.

Love you all. I promise to do this more.