I’ve started a new temp job, and it’s absolutely temp-tastic.
It’s a merchandising assistant for Duty Free Shoppers, a
French based Duty Free store that’s mainly in airports.
It’s trés bien actually. Everyone is nice, and it’s all in a lingo
that I can understand. Shopese.
The woman that’s my boss is so nice. She’s patient, she
shows me how to do things, and she’s a French painter, so
we get on quite well.
I am back in a retail environment, and of course that entails
some things I find annoying…like constant chatter about carbs, who’s
pretty/not pretty, and if something or another that cost $600 is
cheap/a good deal because it’s designer.
Not that I don’t have these types of conversations,
but it’s really annoying to listen to when it’s not you.
Anyway, can’t we talk about revolutions or something?
So, temping is cool.
If you can get continuous, decent work, temping is a pretty nice gig.
I could see looking for long term projects (2-3 mths) with a week
or two off between assignments. With the right budgeting, it could
be a really nice way to live. Of course, I have no health insurance,
but you can actually get that temping too. It’s bare bones, but better
than nothing...better than the nothing I have right now.
I’m also working on several projects of my own.
Since I’ve been back from Turkey, I’ve been trying to decide
what to do with myself. I’m back on the Curatorial Committee
at Soex, so I’m sure they’ll be some projects that need attention.
I’m also starting to take Arabic lessons. Tomorrow, actually. I found
a tutor on Craigslist, so after some emailing, we’re finally meeting tomorrow.
Maybe I’ll finally know how to say more than ‘thank you’
‘hello’ and ‘Thank God’. I can also say ‘naughty’ in Farsi.
The other project I’m working on is starting a public outreach
program/education around Islam/Arab/Middle Eastern cultures.
Of course that’s a HUGE area that encompasses
close to 1 billion persons on the planet earth, so I’m sure on
some level, it will need to be scaled down. I’m working on writing my
proposal..the who/what/why/where of it all.
I’ve been doing lots of reading. I love reading Edward Said. I’ve also
been reading the basics of Islam, but that’s difficult because much
like Christianity, there’s no ONE interpretation that everyone who
calls her/him self Muslim follows.
The other really interesting thing to me is Islamic Feminism.
Many Islamic women feel that the Koran and Islam have traditionally
been more progressive towards women then we are lead to believe.
It’s not Islam that’s the problem, but as with many other cultures,
including our own, Patriarchy has perverted the message of
equality among the sexes.
There are many interesting and brilliant Islamic feminist scholars
that are doing amazing work. The challenge to the Western feminist
is to look at it objectively, and to realize that
Islamic feminists may have goals that are different from ours,
and that we need to respect that, not just assume that we have
something to teach them about “freedom”.
I’ll keep you posted on my projects.
I’m glad I’ve got a lot going on because I’ve had
a little heart-break recently.
I’m all about acceptance, but this one really stung,
and I’ve been feeling really down about it.
Rejection is never easy, and this rejection came out of the blue,
and after something I thought would bring us closer…
but instead he decided he doesn’t want to be with
me at all…not even as a friend.
I know this because I tried to call him and he's changed his
number. That really fucking hurt!
I guess I should be thankful that he cut me loose and
I can have that space free to be with someone who actually
wants to be with me.
But this guy went really deep into my heart,
and I felt like for all our crazy back and forth, I really
grew through knowing him, understood him, and I had faith
that we would both change our patterns of the past and make
a better future together.
I understand fighting demons and fears,
the crazy things people do to protect themselves, and how
difficult it is to fight something that feels so natural,
like the very thing that keeps you alive,
but is really slowly killing you.
Or at least not allowing you to live your life
in full, beautiful living color.
I don't want my life to play out like some sad old
re-run of a movie that i didn't like seeing the first time.
Staying in the moment is really helping me right now
(by taking some deep breaths and not allowing myself
to feel any old pain that could arise from this experience)
to not get more sad than necessary, and to not feel bad and unlovable.
I know I’ll be fine…and I hope the same for him too.
