are we all créoles?

Something that has been burping up in my life again is a feeling of racial sensitivity.  Now we all know that I am fairly ethnically caucasian.  My username is even danishguyky.  However, this does not mean that I am onboard when people "subtly" make racial jokes or reference racist stereotypes, as though I am meant to laugh along with them.  It's at this point that I tell them I'm Puerto Rican, which, I believe, helps separate me from the ugly white superiority complex and makes people think twice about what they're saying.  It also allows me to identify with ethnic groups to whom I often feel much closer.

I like that this perception challenges the stereotype of what people normally think about Latinos or whomever.  Modern Family's Sofia Vergara is as Colombian as you could possibly get, but she's naturally a blonde.

"Vergara has naturally blonde hair, but for movies and television, she is often asked to dye it brown to make her look more typically Latina."

Sofia and I share a common plight.  The street runs both ways.  For the past two years, I've hung out in the Chicano/Latino Center in the Multi-cultural Student Center of our union building on campus.  Whenever I wasn't there with my Mexican and/or Colombian friends, I felt like people were looking at me like I didn't belong.  One guy even said in Spanish, "Why's the white kid here?" as though I couldn't possibly understand Spanish.  Look, maybe you're from Yakima or Othello or someplace like that, but you don't hold a candle to a native Californian, who grew up in predominantly Spanish-speaking areas, was sent to Spanish immersion camp as a kid, and went to grossly predominantly Hispanic schools.  Yeah, I'm pretty sure I can understand Spanish.  And I do legitimately have Puerto Rican family : ) Maybe I need to change my name to Ky Vetterli del Rosario Soto Kamolz, just to prove a point.  Might get a scholarship or something!

I'm not trying to fool anyone here or gain sympathy for something I am certainly not entitled to; I am most definitely an ethnically white American.  But what I hate is the way that dominates people's perception of what I must be like, that I must belong among these people but not among these people, that I'm ignorant, wealthy, etc.

What I want is to break through this illusion and challenge society's perspectives about race, racial appearance, and the stereotypes that come with each group.  So for all intents and purposes, I am Puerto Rican.

Besides, mixed ancestry is very in vogue.

Spring Break

Phew! I'm back in Pullman after my trip with Adrian to Seattle and the coast.  Honestly, despite everything (2 car accidents; done talking about that), we had the greatest time.  In my experience, usually when you travel with someone else & don't have much of a plan, things can get pretty stressful, and your travel partner starts to really grate on you.
Not in the least.
Adrian & I spent the entire 5-day trip by the seat of our pants, always ending up sleeping someplace other than where we had originally intended, meeting all kinds of amazing people, as well as some good old friends each of us had in the city.
I felt like I had a really good experience with Seattle in December when I went with the Danes.  This totally trumped that.  We were all over the University District, Capitol Hill, Pike's Place, and the downtown shopping district.  FINALLY I got to go to H&M and get some new pants.  I have been rocking the same two pairs of pants for the past few months because they're the only ones I like wearing.  Obviously I could use some variety & they were sort of cheap, so wearing out quickly.  Hence the need to visit H&M to solve all of my problems, as usual.  You're getting good quality and style without paying out the ***.  I feel like most expensive jeans I find actually aren't that great of quality anyway, nor are the usually my style.  They have the premade shreds in them or too much junk on them.  Simple, dark, nice slim fit is all I want, just as long as it doesn't make my butt look like a deflated whoopie cushion.

Anyway, in addition to meeting up with great friends, checking out UW's Lambda Chi house, clubbing, shopping, and drinking amazing coffee & bubble tea, we made a little detour up to Bellingham.  Here is the absurdly serendipitous part.
Adrian & I are in my car driving to get onto the highway to head north to Bellingham.  I hand him my phone to text Ann to get her address.  As I do, Ann texts my phone saying that she and her sister are in the University District, literally 2 blocks away from where we were.  What?! So we take the Jeep back to the Lambda Chi house to park it, then walk to meet Ann & April for extraordinary Thai food and more shopping (haha!) Sooo funny, and a really good time.  Then we just followed the two of them all the way back to their house in Bellingham anyway.  Could not have been more perfect.

Adrian, me, April, and Ann at Thai Tom's on the Ave

Once we were in Bellingham, Ann took it upon herself to give us a real experience of the city.  It's definitely a unique place, and very quintessential Pacific Northwest.  LOTS of hipsters; perhaps a little bit grungier than the Seattle hipsters.  

The Bellingham cold reminded me of living in Gig Harbor, where the air itself is icy cold from all the moisture, and it can even be hard to warm up inside.  Then when you go to use the faucet, the water is so frigid, it's like glacial runoff.  This wasn't the case so much in Ann's darling house, but when I went to another friend's house there, it definitely brought back those memories, haha.

This was all Adrian's first time seeing the ocean.  Granted, Bellingham resides inside a bay with large islands protecting the entrance, but it's most assuredly still the ocean.  For him it was pretty momentous, and I wanted to do anything but belittle the situation.  I can't wait to show him the real coast or even San Diego at some point.

Here he is absolutely elated to be at a beach and having made a few crab friends

Now that I've returned to Pullman, it's back to the old grind.  I'm in the midst of working at the pool during our annual weeklong shutdown we do for maintenance and general upkeep.  Everything has been very productive so far.  I kind of like being able to get a bunch of hours without having to deal with anyone's questions or problems for a while.

Springtime beauties

Alright, I went to work and found the nice comment one of my co-workers wrote about me.  The staff development manager printed it out onto this neat background that adds a little emphasis :

"He is a positive, motivating force that always makes an effort to make our staff feel better and make the PAFC a better place to work.  Ky is easy to talk to and spends extra time and effort above and beyond what is expected of him.  By bettering himself through the LGI class, he is making himself a more knowledgable leader and a critical part of our team.  If our managers are the vital organs of our staff, then Ky is the beating heart that pumps motivation throughout the entire staff."

I really want to go through and edit the grammar, but I can definitely resist being a pig in this case : P If only I were this successful with my schooling! Although things are looking up schoolwise, too.  I'm presenting one of my group projects in class today.  Urggh soo many group projects, rarr rarr rarr!!

In addition to my baking binge I started in the fall, which has actually died off a little recently, I am now a cultivator.  Adrian bought me a huge set of beautiful lilies, which was so very nice.  I originally put them on my kitchen table & let their luscious scent waft throughout the place.  It wasn't long before I could tell they were unhappy in their little store pot & needed some room to grow.  Here is a picture of them from the other day:

It's clear that they're already dying around the base, poor things.  Ann & I made a trek to the garden center, where I found a much, much larger pot for them, with some organic soil to munch on.  The new potting arrangement would be too big & tacky for the kitchen table, but I didn't want my babies to go to waste sitting alone in a corner of the house either.  I moved them down to my bedroom, where they have a nice, sunny view out my windows.  That way, they're always at the foot of my bed when I wake up, and my bedroom smells fantastic.

I really hope they survive & are happy in their new home.

un nouveau poste

Eeeek, sorry I've been the lamest about updating recently.  I've been fairly entangled in staying caught up with my classes and having a lively social life.  Oh, and the whole job thing.  Not a big deal!
By the way, I am the employee of the month! I just found out yesterday.  Someone on staff wrote the nicest recommendation for me, I will have to copy it and post it on here.  So sweet.

Speaking of sweet, I met this really great guy at the beginning of last month, Adrian.  We started going out on a few dates & really getting to know each other, and now things are pretty serious.  He lives over in Moscow, so there is a slight distance issue, but it's actually kind of nice because our lives aren't on top of each other all the time (whoa, pardon the expression), and I find Moscow so charming anyway.  I'm not trying to get cheesy, but I... really like him.  We are extremely compatible both emotionally and physically, and seem to fit into one another's lives really well.  He is a super genuine, responsible guy.  Ok, if you know me well, get this part: he's in a fraternity.  Prior to this experience, I have had nothing but contempt for the Greek system (although the show "Greek" made me wish I could rush Kappa Tau).  Having now been a many-time guest & tenant of the Lambda Chi Alpha house, I can attest that you will be hard pressed to find a friendlier bunch of fellas.  I love the atmosphere & close-knit dynamic.  Everyone there adores Adrian & regularly come to him for advice.  They all know who I am as well, and that I'm obviously with Adrian, and could not be more welcoming.  I brought them chocolate cookies thanking them for their hospitality.  Brownie points for Ky! (pardon the expression here too, as they were in fact cookies)

Me with tall, dark, and handsome

As I said, I've been spending a lot of time in Moscow at the Lambda house.  It's like a refuge from the stresses of my Pullman life.  I feel like I can really relax & wind down there.  I studied there with Adrian last night for my massive Chinese midterm & totally rocked the midterm today! Uhh, definitely utilizing this strategy from now on.

Well, the semester is slowly crossing the halfway point, which means crunch time steadily approaches.  SOOO many group projects!! Whyyy??! I read the assignments and cannot figure out how doing it in a group makes more sense than doing an individual paper or presentation (other than saving time on presentations).  Finding the time to collaborate with all of these different groups is especially taxing.  Oh well, complaining isn't going to make it go away.

Spring break is next week, so I hope to have exciting tales to tell.  I'm really glad that I decided to get out of town for at least a bit.  Adrian & I are going to Seattle for a couple of days, then driving up to Bellingham to visit some dear friends, then heading back over to the eastern paradise.  Hope the weather is as nice on the West Side as it is here.

Rowing

Recently I've been fairly nostalgic for my days as an elite athlete in an extremely rigorous sport - rowing.  I could never go back to my team here.  I think I would just end up pissed off all the time, frankly.  Same old politics, all new idiots who don't know what they're talking about.  On the other hand, being on the water every day and gliding across the surface through the sheer force of your own might is an incredible experience.  Not to mention the knowledge that you are the most physically fit human being on campus.

WIRAs 2009

(I'm 7th seat, so two people from stern) Entering the boat at Fawley Cup

(I'm 3rd seat from the bow) Varsity Lightweight 8

There's something to be said for athletes who willingly inflict this much pain upon themselves.  I'm definitely interested in rowing with a good masters program when I move to a big city.  There is a masters summer rowing program here in Pullman, and I've actually rowed with them before, but they're pretty amateurish.  It might be worth it this summer, just for the time on the water & the experience, but I haven't decided yet.

In the meantime, I'm getting back into rowing shape doing some erg pieces with my rower friends.  On Tuesday, I'm erging with my buddy, Paul, who has rowed as an ACRA (American Collegiate Rowing Association) All-Star.  My other friend and future roommate, Irena, rowed for the Czech national team until she was 21-years-old and came to row here at WSU.  She and I are erging together every Saturday now.

Irena and me in the university's erg room last night

Soon, I will be back to excellent shape! I think this will be good motivation for me to work out harder and harder from now on.

the art of being prude

I really do not know what is wrong with the world, or perhaps something is wrong with me.  I am just aghast at how promiscuous and transient the majority of people's sex lives are.  Maybe it's not the majority, actually, but lately it's sure seemed like a lot of people.

As I've analyzed this in my head more and more, maybe the "sluttiness" bothers me because, in a way, I'm envious? Other people can just let go and mess around indiscriminately, having fun.  But at the same time, I am so thankful that I have no sexual remorse.  I feel like I am very responsible, and I really respect my body.

I think that I work really hard to look good.  I mean, sure, I am blessed with fantastic Nordic genes, rendering me tall, blonde, and lean.  But I also work out 4-6 times per week, buy nice clothes, and take good care of myself.  I would argue that this entitles me to be a little extra choosey about my partners.  If I don't find very many people in my area attractive, that does not mean that I'm being arrogant.  If you aren't attracted to someone, you simply aren't.

Saturday night, some of my dear friends, Ann & Kate, and I all went out to a bar over in Moscow with some gays.  We definitely enjoyed ourselves - Moscow has so many fun venues to offer.  A friend had agreed to drive us back to Pullman at the end of the night, so we all piled into the car.  Kate had to lie down on top of 3 of us in the back seat.  A guy I had been conversing with at the bar was sitting next to me in the car, and, to my horror, would not stop trying to grope me! I was appalled! The only way I can describe it would be "aggressively subtle." I firmly blocked his hand from digging as far as he was trying to go, and tried to push it away from my leg, but he persisted! The entire 15 minute car ride.  Oh gods, I felt so violated.  Kate said that she felt him doing it beneath her, but didn't realize that I was not receptive to his advances, and asked why I didn't say anything.  I guess I was just shocked, and the situation was so awkward, I am still not certain as to what one should say.  "Please stop trying to grab my privates.  I am clearly not interested."

This is my body.  I don't understand why the general belief is that all men are seeking indiscriminate, casual sexual encounters whenever the opportunity presents itself.  Evidently, many men are, but I am certainly not one of them.  Get a hold of yourselves, people! Intimacy loses its legitimacy when you've slept with half the Palouse.

I may be a prude, but the root of "prude" is prudence, which is a virtue implying wisdom, insight, and knowledge, as well as the ability to judge appropriate actions at a given time and place.

Hold on tight

I'll tell you something, and not a lot of people know this: we are clinging to the surface of this planet while it spins through space at a thousand miles an hour, held only by the mystery force called gravity. A lot of people panic when you tell them that, and they just fall off.. but I see you're not falling off.