the Nonsense in Between

Since I'd never flown pre-911 I wasn't all spoiled by short security lines and the freedom to keep your shoes on through security checkpoints but I DO remember a time when you could carry on a bottle of water or shampoo or personal lubricant; you know, in case you need to wash up and join the mile high club or something. Then someone tried to make a bomb with hair gel and all liquids were banned. More recently, the Department of Homeland Security got really brave again and began letting people bring 3 ounces of their favorite liquids on a plane.

A couple of months ago, when we flew to Florida I got all excited about my newfound freedom to carry on liquids and started checking which of my liquid treasures were under 3 ounces. My husband, however, misunderstood and packed a few things that were over the limit. At the first security checkpoint a guard had Dominic throw away a 4 and a half ounce bottle of lotion, which was WAY over the 3 ounce limit so we didn't complain but there was also a 3.14 ounce container of pomade that the nice security guard allowed Dominic to keep so long as he didn't blow up the plane with it. We were so relieved not to have to chuck the pricey pomade but then we tried to get it passed the mullet haired x-ray douche bag who took his job way too seriously. Mullet Man angrily stopped the conveyor belt, squinted his eyes fiercely and with all the authority vested in him interrogated Dominic about the 3.14 ounce of potential explosives. Dominic defended his transgression and pleaded to keep the over-sized tub of hair goo but Mullet Man said that if he let Dominic bring 3.14 ounces of pomade on the plane then he'd have to let terrorists carry on gallons of nitroglycerin and that wouldn't be fair to all the people who would die, so Dominic threw his pomade away.

When I flew to Albuquerque last week I was extra careful not to breach any liquid laws but I inadvertently brought with me a paring knife that had been left in my backpack. The funny thing is that I didn't even realize I had carried on this weapon of mass destruction until I got to Roswell. That means I carried it with me through all that high tech security -- the same technology that sniffed out a .14 ounce infraction!

I could not believe airport security failed to catch a dangerously sharp blade -- longer than the box cutters used in 911 -- but they got all huffy about a little pomade. I was so angry that on my return flight I decided to leave the knife in my bag just to see if they'd catch it. Guess what? They didn't! Lucky for everyone on the plane I'm not a terrorist. But what if I had been? What if?

Dear Friends, Pseudo-Friends and complete strangers,

Some of you already know I have accepted an amazing Anthropology Internship in Mexico this May. Our group will be working under a non-profit organization known as Fifth Sun Development Fund. Fifth Sun's Carranza-Casillas Sustainable Mountain Development Initiative, which our group will be a part of, is now in its third year. Located in an isolated valley South of Monterrey, Mexico, the people of Casillas and Carranza have experienced centuries of hardship from conquest and colonization to exploitation and globalization. Many families in the area continue to struggle for land, resources and even basic needs such as sanitation, clean water, and food.

Following the United Nations' framework, Fifth Sun has initiated projects to help the people of Casillas and Carranza gain the skills, knowledge, and tools they need to improve their quality of life. The projects are developed through ethnographic research, locally identified needs, and applied anthropology perspectives. With respect to the culture and natural environment, the projects are designed to 1.) decrease poverty and hunger 2.) increase primary education and 3.) improve environmental sustainability. Some of the projects our group will help with include: Teaching furniture making with the use of available materials and sustainable practices, Adult literacy education, and summer enrichment classes for children. We will also help build knowledge and understanding of the people and their environment with visual cultural documentation and by conducting surveys. The ultimate goal is to empower the locals to continue to use the tools and knowledge even after we are gone.

As student volunteers we will be responsible for paying our own way, each of us is expected to contribute a minimum of $700.00 for travel and lodging expenses. Most of us are full time students with part time jobs that is why we are turning to friends and family for support (that's where you come in). I am asking for your help in raising the money I need to participate in the program. Donations of any amount will be greatly appreciated. If your genorisity gets me beyond my goal of $700.00 the surplus will be forwarded to our group coordinator to pay for additional costs we incur on the trip as well as gifts for the locals who will be housing us.

With our departure date soon approaching I have set up a convenient and secure online donation page through PayPal.

I thank you for your time, consideration, and support in all its forms.

With love and gratitude,
Nicole Filosa

PS if you already got my email ignore this post.

I haven't been a good blogger, lately. Actually, I've been far too busy to be a good-anything, lately. I think they call it being spread too thin. Yep, I've gone and spread myself too thin but I guess it's like a rite of passage for college seniors. Speaking of college, I graduate in three weeks! I've been so busy I sometimes forget that this is it -- I'm finally going to be done with this drawn out chapter of my life. It's neat, and exciting, but really scary too.

When I tell people I'm graduating college soon they ask me what I'm going to do next and my response is always "That's a good question..." and then I don't say anything else -- partly because I don't have an answer but also because I love to see the looks they give. People really want to hear that you have a plan, well, not just any plan but a financially sound plan and since I don't have either I just don't say anything at all.

To be honest I struggle with it too. Somedays I approach critical meltdown at the thought of not having a definite plan, of not having a job, of not having money, of not having a home, or food and starving to death because I did not HAVE A PLAN. But then there are days like today, that I embrace not knowing what is next. It kind of has the slight air of faith about it. Today, I think my future looks bright, so bright I can't even see what's next!