February 28, 2004
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…blown away…
No classes today, but I’m working on campus all day. It hasn’t really been busy so it’s been yet another chill day. For lunch, I went to the Multicultural Student Development Luncheon where all the interns for all the ethnic specific student development offices got to eat and socialize with one another. It was pretty cool because we all work in our respective offices, but never really get to socialize with each other. It was really cool socializing with everyone in this particular setting because everyone was just so real and wasn’t restricted by any of the titles or offices that they normally occupied, so it was cool. One of my GSI’s was there and it was so incredibly awesome to see her outside of her role as a GSI. I think we all have these preconceptions of what people are supposed to be and what they’re supposed to act like because of the roles and titles that they occupy, but we forget that they were young once, and some still are, and so it shouldn’t be a surprise that they’re just as down with everything–what a trip!
I went to work out early this morning as I said I would. I did a full 1 hour work out at 7am. I can’t even believe I was able to get myself up at that time, but it felt good. I like going really early in the mornings now. There’s hardly anyone there and so you don’t have to wait in line at all for the precor or any of the weight machines, etc. It was pretty nice to be able to work out in peace and not feel self-conscious or anything, but whatever, it was a good work out. I think I’ll be working out in the early mornings more often from now on…
My cables for my camcorder came today. I was happy because that means that I have the complete set now. I don’t have to bother any of my brothers anymore for their cables or anything; it was such a hassle. I look forward to finally being able to use and test out my cinematography skills, not to mention editing with Final Cut Pro. It should be fun, but I do anticipate a fair amount of stress and frustration with this stuff since I’m still a novice with it all though. Oh well, all is a learning experience…
Speaking of learning, when I was having dinner tonight, I tuned into a Dateline exclusive on the sale of little Khmer girls into prostitution back in Cambodia. As an Ethnic Studies and Asian American Studies major, I am very aware that sex trafficking is a big problem within the API communities, particularly in the Southeast Asian communities, but it just never quite registered until tonight. It was really hard to swallow my food as I was watching these little 5 and 6 year old girls being de-virginized, and essentially raped of their innocence, by these old tourists and perverted men. I was sooooo utterly disgusted! There was this asshole that was caught on tape who was an American doctor working overseas who goes to places like Cambodia just so he can pay $50 for like 3 little girls to suck his nasty ass cock and shit, and then claims that under US law, he did nothing wrong–as long as he didn’t go to these countries explicitly for the sex, then he’s not guilty of anything. WTF?! Is he out of his goddamn mind?! UGH! It’s people like him that make white Americans so hated all around the world. You fuckin’ prick, I hope one day your daughter experiences the shame that you put all these little girls through! Bad American aside, I’m also pissed off by the fact that fellow Khmers were whoring these little girls around as if their lives were so dispensable that they could just place a price tag on them like that. How can they do this to their own people?! What has become of our society and our people that a pimp or a madame could sell a little girl that could easily be their daughter into prostitution like that?! I thought Pol Pot was bad when he killed a third of our population, but this is utterly tragic. For the first time in my life, I am truly ashamed of being part Cambodian…
Mom and I are supposed to be going back there to visit for the first time since we left there back in the early 80′s, but I’m quite scared as to what I’ll see there. I need some more time to think all of this out, perhaps I may not be ready to go back yet…
I have work at Blue and Gold tomorrow, then afterwards, Justin and I are going to the grand opening of the new Apple store in SF! I can’t wait to see what they have there. Unfortunately, we can’t stay there that long though–I have to get back to the East Bay in time for my show shift at CalPerfs, ugh, oh well.
