(no subject)

Blargh -
This has been the summer of 1 step forward 2 steps back. I waited on hold for about 20 minutes with the 2nd planned parenthood because the first one performs abortions and because of this doesn't get as much state funding, and thus doesn't have as good a sliding scale. So I had to call the one that doesn't do abortions and thus has a sliding scale for birth control pills - luckily for me I have no income this summer.....rrrrrrr or something like that. So I wait on hold and finally went through the rigmarole and got an appointment for Friday for a consult with no exam to get some more birth control pills because I'm out and the UCLA medical clinic is oh a coupla thousand miles away. I make appointment, find out it will be virtually free, and feel very accomplished.

Then I sit down to my emails - I have now got email from the representative of the embassy in DC. He says that everything looks fine to him for me to get a visa. [huzzah!]. Then the email goes on to say that I will be approved all I have to do is wait for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Tashkent to approve my invitation. [boo, hiss!]. So I write the Director of the San'atshunoslik Institute AGAIN asking him to confirm that he's filed an invitation. The next question is what to do if the Ministry doesn't approve my invitation or takes it's sweet time [oh horror!].

(no subject)

wooot I'm yoda la la la!
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politics

its funny, I was just chatting on the phone with E, she played hookie today and called to get the homework for tomorrow.

Our daily report topic is "Sailovda, kimga ovoz berasiz?" (In the election, who will you vote for?). E reacted pretty strong to this - she said "well I know what the answer to that one will be - none of your business!" This was really interesting to me, mostly because voting does seem to be something a lot of people hold close to their chests. I remember being shocked in my early teenage years that my father wouldn't tell me who he voted for in that years election. Somehow as much as people like to discuss politics, voting records should be kept secret or something.

After chatting with E, it turns out that she is claiming to be undecided. I agreed with her that we have a choice between bad and worse, but that I have a hard time imagining allowing Bush another 4 years. Her defense of Bush (or rather her reason for lack of vehemence against him) was that the press is so unfactual and biased. I find this really funny, because we are in total agreement about the biased nature of the press - we just disagree as to which side their bias leans. She said that we just haven't heard the truth about everything, and that seems to mean that Bush might be a better leader than the press is letting on? Also, after agreeing that Iraq was messed up, she defended Afghanistan by saying, "well he had an attack on our soil of course he had to go to war with someone!" I think that is totally false and so does she, but on a national scale she believes in its truth. Very interesting thinking. I respect E and her intelligence, and it was very interesting to see what an argument looks like that is coming from an intelligent, informed person that is willing to consider voting for Bush in the upcoming election. Food for thought.