ok, I've already broken the number one rule of blogging - to write in your blog everyday. Then again, I am not exactly one to stick close to the rule book. Circumventing the rules has often been my largest priority. I have this idea that there is a real reason for rules that generally derives from those who go to extremes, like drinking in a public park. Drinking in a public park wouldn't be a big problem if nobody got blasted drunk in public. But they do, so I cannot enjoy a glass of wine at my picnic - unless it's in a koolaid container.
Rule # 2 broken in the past few days - choose the Armenian church over pop culture. But I think this one, even Der Hayr would forgive me. . . On the same night that St Mary's had it's big groundbreaking ceremony and party for the new hall to be built, I had tickets to see Aretha Franklin. That's right, the QUEEN OF SOUL. Orchestra seats. $100 bucks a pop. Considering that my priest is from Canada and not Yerevan, I think he gets it. Sorry, but the Chain of Fools trumps a plate of yalanchi. I can make a plate of yalanchi. I cannot sing "Respect" backed by a 12 piece soul band with grammys, rock'n'roll hall of fame inductions, and millions of albums sold under my chubby arm - however much I might like to.
I suppose, I will have to make up for it on Sunday, though.
Being cool is a state of mind.
Saturday, October 18, 2008
Thursday, October 16, 2008
politics and Armenian Mind
I opened the Armenian Reporter today and saw a headline, " Elect Barak Obama and Joe Biden," it read.
"HUHH?" I said out loud.
I'm 45 years old and have been going to Armenian Churches and Events for, oh, about 45 years, and never do I recall hearing the established, well off Armenian-Americans - businessmen, all - in the group promote the democrats.
This is historic. This is amazing. This is great. . . This is making my father, God rest soul, turn in his grave.
Don't get me wrong. I have voted Democrat pretty much in every presidential election that I have voted in. And there are members of my family who are active in the Democratic party, even, but it's a fact that Armenians in the US have been historically conservative.
But as I read deeper into the article, I see that it's not because of economic policy, the drive to exit the Iraq war, or any of the other issues, it is strictly as it applies to the Armenian bill to recognize the 1915 massacres as genocide.
That is the one and only reason they stated to promote this vote.
So, go for it. knock yourself out. Vote for the one issue reason, and you'll finally get a good president!
"HUHH?" I said out loud.
I'm 45 years old and have been going to Armenian Churches and Events for, oh, about 45 years, and never do I recall hearing the established, well off Armenian-Americans - businessmen, all - in the group promote the democrats.
This is historic. This is amazing. This is great. . . This is making my father, God rest soul, turn in his grave.
Don't get me wrong. I have voted Democrat pretty much in every presidential election that I have voted in. And there are members of my family who are active in the Democratic party, even, but it's a fact that Armenians in the US have been historically conservative.
But as I read deeper into the article, I see that it's not because of economic policy, the drive to exit the Iraq war, or any of the other issues, it is strictly as it applies to the Armenian bill to recognize the 1915 massacres as genocide.
That is the one and only reason they stated to promote this vote.
So, go for it. knock yourself out. Vote for the one issue reason, and you'll finally get a good president!
Friday, October 3, 2008
testing testing
Hi. I'm Armenian.
Well, I'm American, as in I was born in New Jersey and grew up in Texas. My parents were born in the USA, too, in the early 1920's. But my grandparents were all Armenian from Armenia. If you are reading this, you probably know the history, so I'm not going over it here.
And besides, this blog is about now. About how to keep your heritage in a slowly shrinking diaspora while moving forward with your life.
As a kid, I lived in the suburbs of Houston, where everyone thought I was probably Mexican - because I was the only one in my class with dark hair and a real nose. "Armenia? what's that? a type of cheese?"
There were not even italians or greeks in my neighborhood, so it was a hard history lesson to sell.
Trying to get a proper pronunciation of my name was another challenge in a place where most girls were called Ann, Michelle, and Lori. Anything more than two syllables was some sort of travesty.
"Gar eeeeee neh" I would say. "roll the 'r'" Texans do not roll R's and forget the concept of an accent over the letter "e." That just added to the suspicion that I was a really a closet hispanic just making this whole exotic heritage thing up.
Well, I'm American, as in I was born in New Jersey and grew up in Texas. My parents were born in the USA, too, in the early 1920's. But my grandparents were all Armenian from Armenia. If you are reading this, you probably know the history, so I'm not going over it here.
And besides, this blog is about now. About how to keep your heritage in a slowly shrinking diaspora while moving forward with your life.
As a kid, I lived in the suburbs of Houston, where everyone thought I was probably Mexican - because I was the only one in my class with dark hair and a real nose. "Armenia? what's that? a type of cheese?"
There were not even italians or greeks in my neighborhood, so it was a hard history lesson to sell.
Trying to get a proper pronunciation of my name was another challenge in a place where most girls were called Ann, Michelle, and Lori. Anything more than two syllables was some sort of travesty.
"Gar eeeeee neh" I would say. "roll the 'r'" Texans do not roll R's and forget the concept of an accent over the letter "e." That just added to the suspicion that I was a really a closet hispanic just making this whole exotic heritage thing up.
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