Tuesday, July 18, 2006

Al Gore

I met Al Gore today! He was signing books at the Harvard Book Store. Unfortunately I didn't have my camera, but he did sign my copy of his most recent book, An Inconvenient Truth. I even shook his hand! I of course said nothing of consequence, or nothing different from all the other people who had him sign their books today, but it was still cool nonetheless.

He's aged a bit since the 2000 election, with more grey hairs and a rounder belly. When I saw him, I kind of felt bad for him. He does have a successful book and an even more successful movie, but he could have been the president. He could have been dealing with the current crisis in Lebanon right now, assuming he would have been reelected, but instead he was signing my book in an independent bookstore on Mass Ave. Not to say that he hasn't had a great life. He has a great family, was the vice president for 8 years after all and spent several more years in the Congress, but the way in which he "lost" the 2000 election (which I still believe he truly won) was painful and just wrong. I suppose his only solace is that the man he lost to will likely go down in history as the worst president ever, or at least the president who led us into an unnecessary war and cannot say nuclear for the life of him.

I'd like to believe the country would have been in a much better state today had Al Gore assumed the presidency. For one thing, he wouldn't veto the bill Dubya is about to veto that would allow for stem cell research in the country. Still, as a true countrymen and politician, Al Gore is probably sad that his great nation has made a turn for the worse and that he couldn't do anything about it. He does have a popular book out and an even more popular movie, though, and he's the current cool guy among young, liberal circles. He could either ride his current wave of popularity as a candidate in the next presidential election, or, like many celebrities, go for the trifecta and start his own band. I'm hoping he goes for the former- the latter would just be too much, even for the movie star, author, and politician Al Gore.

Wednesday, July 12, 2006

My To Do List

Inspired by Lawrence's blog post, I've been thinking of things I would like to accomplish in my life. Some are listed below in no particular order. (These are the things I can think of right now- I'm sure there's more I'm forgetting. :) ) I hope to look back on this list one day to remember how naive I was at the ripe old age of 23 to think I could accomplish so much or (more ideally) to look back and realize that, at the ripe old age of 23, I could never have imagined the wonderful and amazing things I've experienced (and hopefully accomplished) in my life. Let's hope I think the latter. :)

1. Become a medical doctor.
2. Spend the remainder of my youth living, learning, and partying in New York City.
3. Live in the Philippines for some time to understand my roots and to make contributions to the country.
4. Become fluent in Tagalog.
5. Learn Spanish.
6. Travel to each continent.
7. Have children.
8. Raise children in New York City- to be true New Yorkers of course.
9. Have dogs as pets.
10. Paint 1 inspiring painting- it doesn't matter whom it inspires. :)
11. Learn to cook with intuition.
12. Learn to play an instrument well.
13. Take a roadtrip across the United States.
14. See the White Nights in St. Petersburg.
15. See the Middle East.
16. See Africa.
17. See Asia.
18. See South America.
19. Live in a loft in downtown Manhattan.
20. Live in a townhouse in Greenwich Village.
21. Attend all 4 grand slam tennis tournaments.
22. Scuba dive and snorkel.
23. Make a true and meaningful contribution to the world.
24. Stay physically fit.
25. See a volcano explode.
26. Play one last singles tennis tournament. (for closure on my junior tennis days)
27. Own a beach house.
28. Take plenty of pictures along the way.
29. Learn to take decent, perhaps even artsy, photographs.
30. Own one significant, but not necessarily famous, piece of art.
31. Keep in touch with all my good friends and my family.
32. Live with the fewest regrets possible.