Adventures of Andrew Lee

Even before Elizabeth Blackwell’s admission into medical school, applications have been a daunting mainstay in higher education. No matter if you are a high school student applying to get into CMC or if you are a CMC student applying for scholarships, graduate schools, etc.

The only time you ever received free admission was when you were 5 years or younger, and even then you could not really go on the "big kids" rides. This post seeks to help students who have wandered onto this website and do not understand college admissions.

Four things that admissions officers want to see:

1. Strong Academics- Take challenging classes, and earn high grades. In high school, that means you should take the AP or IB courses and do well. The age-old question is whether to take challenging courses and be mediocre or take unchallenging courses and do well. The answer that all college admissions officers give you is to do well in challenging courses. Nevertheless, you can take challenging courses in the humanities, but not in mathematics, and keep your GPA high. However, if you do not take challenging math courses now, when will you take them? Most likely college; where your college GPA matters more than your high school GPA.
2. Strong Standardized Test Scores- These test scores examine your aptitude and verify your grades. If you have a great GPA, but a low standardized test score, something is amiss. You either are a horrible test-taker or take unchallenging classes. If you don't have great test scores, you just have to make within the range of the school or have something else to add.
3. Extracurricular Activities- The adage here is “does something, do it well.” Being the Renaissance man will only help if you are great at all of these things. Otherwise, you will only be a “Jack of All Trades, but a Master of None.” Thus, in high school, instead of being President of a number of clubs at the high school level is the National President of a club. Same goes for sports, be amazing at tennis, instead of mediocre at track, football, and soccer. Also, do things that are outside of school, such as get jobs with companies or receive leadership positions through your own connections.
4. Community Service- This dedication to some part of your life guarantees that whoever is looking at your application thinks that you are a good person. Simply, joining the local community service organization is good enough.

Each of these areas is important and helps make up a good application. If you have strong academics but zilch in extracurriculars and community service, then you isn’t a strong applicant. However, if you have only extracurricular and community service, with a poor academic record, you are even worse off. Thus, grades and test scores come first, and then you have to manage things from there. Obviously certain people who are valedictorians and receive 1600 SAT and 36 ACT scores have more leeway in not having done extracurriculars or community service, but the majority of the population is not like that. Keep in mind that when you apply, admissions officers are human. Although their jobs are to evaluate students and admit them into the college, they will meet you, see you, and judge you. If they judge you favourably, they can be your advocate or they can be your worst nightmare. In the working world, this aspect is that “anywhere there is a potential employer, it is an interview.” Thus, you must do the following:

1. Send thank you (which you should start doing once you stop gaining free admissions);
2. Be a good interviewee and;
3. Distinguish yourself.

These things will not get you into a college, but they may help if you are on the brink of acceptance or rejection. Ultimately, even if you make it to CMC, your life will not be smooth sailing. You are coming to CMC to learn, and you will receive grades for papers and tests. The applications, testing, interviewing (generally, summing one’s life into a stack of paper) will happen again for jobs, graduate school, scholarships, and the world in general. It only begins with college admissions and never stops from there. No matter where you live in this world, there are things you want that other people also want. To make it equitable, we have processes like this to find the best person for the best place. When choosing a college, I would suggest that you use the following criterion in making a choice about college, grad school, or life in general with the following three E’s:

1. Education- Is there an academic program that I want? Will this be educational for me? Will I be challenged? Does this place give me a wide variety or narrow set of options? Do not limit yourself to the top schools because you know that the top schools are the best and you need to get into them. Graduate school is where it matters, find a college that suits you and will allow you to get good grades.
2. Environment- Do I like southern California or England? Are the people nice? Is there a viable social scene?
3. Economics- How much this will cost me? Can I or my family bear this burden?

Good luck on all your present and future applications!

So, my girlfriend is in Senegal and she sends her correspondence by e-mail. Because she is a far better writer than me, I think you'll find her musings and observations interesting...

From: Elizabeth, the girlfriend To: Andrew, the boyfriend Re: Bathroom Buddy

 

Hello!

I'm having a "hostility" day, so I am greeting you all in English. (Those of you have have participated in, or are participating in study abroad may understand. For those of you who don't, study abroad students often go through cultural orientations that include a diagram of culture shock and adjustment. The phase in which one is feeling resentful towards the new culture is called "hostility". I don't think the model applies well to me, but more on that later when I am sure.) The "hostility" is due to the tendency for people to be late or absent in Senegalese culture. Today I went in for my first day of real work at my internship, and found out that my supervisor would be out until late afternoon. This was particularly frustrating because I had carried my laptop with me into the city, not something very safe to do, because my supervisor wanted me to use it in the office. On the plus side, I treated myself to a double-chocolate ice cream bar and a new pair of sun glasses. I have the honor of having a cultural experience new even to my program directors. I am sharing a bathroom with an old man (whom I fondly refer to as "the old guy") who does not speak or otherwise interact with women, for religious reasons. It is notable that this is new to my program directors, as they are pretty much experts on Senegalese culture. I don't know how he is related to my family, as they have not told me. The old guy is in the bathroom a lot. In the amount of time he takes for a regular bathroom trip, I could shower, dress, brush my teeth, comb my hair and put in my contacts. Those of you who know my shower habits know that that is no little accomplishment. Anyway, it is proving to be quite inconvenient. Yesterday I really needed to use the bathroom before leaving class. At 4:00, I went to use the bathroom, and found that the old guy was going in. At 4:15 I went to ask my family if I could use another bathroom, which was problematic, since the water was off in the rest of the house. When I left at 4:30, he was still in the bathroom. I don't know if he is just that slow or if he is doing cleansing rituals for all those times I said "Asalaam maleekum" to him before I was told not to speak to him. I went out dancing the other night with my brother. It was fun, but a little odd because I was the only white woman in the club. There were a lot of white men, mostly flirting with younger Senegalese women. I was a bit embarrassed by how some of them seemed to take advantage of their status as foreigners, and I hope they were French, not American. Anyway, I didn't have any problems because people assumed I was with my brother. Next time I am hoping to go out with some of my friends in the program. I was dismayed to learn that clubs don't even open until midnight, and I didn't get home until 5 am. Of course, the old guy was in the bathroom. At 5:15 I knocked on the door to make sure A) there was someone in there, and B) if there was, he/she didn't need help. I got a testy grunt for a reply. At 5:30, the old guy left the bathroom. It is really a bit disturbing to me to share a bathroom with a man who refuses to speak to women, especially one who takes obnoxiously long in the bathroom. I am trying to have a sense of humor about it. It helps that the rest of my family is great. I am getting used to their routines, and I get the feeling that the period of doting over me is coming to an end, alxumdulilah (thank God). My brother is going to help me and my swimming buddy, Zodiac, rent surfboards some time. It helps that my brother thinks Zodiac is pretty. My sister is going to take me to the market one of these days, and I have been watching X-Men with my little brother on my computer. Translating for him is good for my French. Well, I better send this email before another electricity outage deletes it, as happened to my last one. Miss you all! Elizabeth

Websites (my contribution)

• Red Cross- Donate to the Red Cross to help victims of Hurricane Katrina
• Bethel Seventh-Day Adventist Church in Pomona, CA- I went to this church as part of my American Religious History class. Great experience.
• I love Frontline. I think I've said this couple of times already. Here's their piece on Who Was Shakespeare?

Another observation from your favorite mid-Western African country...

From: Elizabeth To: Andrew Re: Beauty and the Talibe

Bonjour! Lu bees? (What's new?) Not a lot new for me. I am settling down into my routines a bit. Today I start my Gender and Development class. It was delayed because my professor is pregnant. She hasn't had the baby yet, but wants to start teaching. A couple of things about Senegalese culture that I wanted to share. First, the standard of beauty is different here. Women are much admired if they have jaay fundaai. The phrase means "sell fundaai", a dessert made of millet and cream. There is a saying here that you can't lose when you sell fundaai, because you get rich or you get a figure (from eating your product yourself). Particularly admired is weight around a woman's backside. Recently, my host father compared me (unfavourably) to his ten-year-old daughter. He said to me at dinner, "Eat! Eat! You should look like her! And she is only 10 years old!" I glanced at the girl, afraid she would be mortified by the reference to her weight. She was the epitome of "pleasantly plump." I was relieved to see that she looked shy but pleased. The second thing I want to mention are the talibe. If the world looks familiar to you, yes, it has the same root as taliban. It means "disciple" in Arabic. In Senegal the talibe are young boys attending Koranic schools, run by marabouts, who are crosses between the Islamic Imams and the traditional animist medicine men. The make charms, predict the future, provide council, and teach the talibe. The talibe must beg to provide for themselves and their marabout. The streets of Dakar are full of the talibe and their tin cans, as well as other beggars, often with people disabilities. Giving alms to the beggars is one of the five pillars of Islam. When people have nothing to give the beggars, or don't want to give to them, they say ba beneen, which means "next time." It seems to be the general way of dealing with the beggars...the country has structural adjustment imposed by the World Bank and IMF, not social programs. I occasionally give money to disabled beggars, or food to the talibe. I don't like to give money because I know most of it will be taken by marabouts, few of whom care properly for their talibe. (The talibe are supposed to collect a certain amount of money for their marabout each day.) I feel that the talibe are a bit disappointed with a banana or piece of watermelon though, because toubabs (white people) are expected to have money. On a lighter note, I am going to an artisans' community this weekend with my program. I am going to take a batik class. Also, my bathroom buddy spoke to me. At least I think he did. I was doing my laundry in the bathroom and he came in, not knowing I was there. He started muttering in Wolof, possibly to me. He might also have been praying to Allah to remove the toubab woman from the bathroom. Either way he got want he wanted, as I gathered my sopping underwear and exited with all possible speed. (The rest of my clothes are washed with the family laundry, but in Senegal everyone washes his or her own undergarments. I think it is a good system.) After 30 minutes I was able to re-enter and wring out my laundry. Well, lunchtime for me! Always appreciate news from home. Yendoo ak jamm (pass the day in peace) Elizabeth

Websites (my contribution)

• Red Cross- Donate to the Red Cross to help victims of Hurricane Katrina
• Bethel Seventh-Day Adventist Church in Pomona, CA- I went to this church as part of my American Religious History class. Great experience.
• I love Frontline. I think I've said this a couple of times already. Here's their piece on Who Was Shakespeare?

I ended by my internship the Friday before school started, flew back from Washington D.C. to CO on Saturday, hiked on Sunday, and then flew to school on Monday.

Throughout that whirlwind, I was reminiscing on how Washington D.C. is unlike any other place in the United States. No matter where you go, contradictions abound. In our nation's capitol where all of the federal money lies, it has one of the largest homeless populations in the country. In a city controlled by Republicans, they are surrounded by Democrats. DC doesn't get voting rights, yet it has a larger population than Wyoming. Even the weather contradicts the people with guys wearing suits in 90 deg./90% humidity weather.

Many conservatives proclaim that we should continually trust the government in protecting our lives. Giving it much money and enforcement power in defense policy but don't wish to give the same power to the government when it comes to environmental policy which also aims to protect lives. Is it only that we should trust the government with the power to launch missiles, sell guns, but we can't trust the government to regulate industries that are polluting our water, land, and the livelihood of American communities? Why can't we also trust the government to help those who are less fortunate, when we trust the government in bombing those who are less democratic? This point, however, does not just extend to Republicans. Indeed, Democrats face the same contradictions. How can the party of Truman not believe that parts of the market (esp. professional certification for teachers) could solve education or other services? I'm not advocating that we rid the Department of Education, but rather that we leave no stone unturned (especially using market forces) in providing the best education to our children. Additionally, how can the people of Kennedy, of science, be against a space program that can put a man on Mars?

It's odd. Isn't it? As Harry Frankfurt writes in his bestselling book On Bullshit:

The fact about himself that the bulls hitter hides, on the other hand, is that the truth-values of his statements are of no central interest to him; what we are not to understand is that his intention is neither to report truth nor to conceal it. (55)

Frankfurt describes best the use of contradiction to further personal gain without regard for the truth of the matter.

Websites

• Son of Orbiting Death-ray Platform (Paperback) by Heinrich Heildmon- Someone tell me how this books goes.
• Don't you just love Englebert Humperdink?! You haven't heard of Englebert?! Enjoy this website then.
• The story of the Gordian Knot- I had no idea stuff like this occurred in history.
• The Godless Constitution: A Moral Defense of the Secular State by Isaac Kramnick- He was featured on This American Life, and has an interesting historical take on the constitution.

In the 70s educational series School House Rock, a “bill sitting on Capitol Hill” sings about his dramatic ascent to becoming law in the United States, passing committees and bouncing back between Senate and House. Unfortunately, the educational video stops when the President has signed “Bill” into law, and does not show the most crucial part of law in the United States: the elements of administration and enforcement.

In my internship at the Natural Resources and Environment division of the Government Accountability Office (GAO), I learned about what happens to a law after its enactment, particularly the way in which Congress keeps agencies accountable in their administration and enforcement of congressional policies. The GAO is the investigative arm of Congress, which conducts general audits of federal agencies and performs policy analysis wherever a federal dollar may go. I worked on a congressional request for Senator Inhofe (R-OK) and Senator Crapo (R-ID), both members of the Senate Environment and Public Works committee. The request asked for a cumulative cost estimate of federal water requirements (under the Clean Water Act and the Safe Drinking Water Act) to local communities. In working on this request, I was responsible for gathering and analyzing the major requirements that local communities are subject to (proposed and final rules promulgated under EPA) and also gathering and analyzing the current cost studies (EPA, CBO, and others) to determine if it would be possible to answer the request.

While working at the GAO, I had two objectives: first, understand how the GAO and the world of water policy and water costs is developed; and second, determine how I would contribute the most to the public good as a policy analyst. The access I received at the GAO was unprecedented for an undergraduate because I was speaking on equal terms with heads of divisions within the Executive and heads of advocacy departments representing the community of water policy. In my work, I gave a presentation in front of state executive directors and the executive director of the National Rural Water Association (which serves over 19,000 utilities across the country) recruiting their help for a possible drinking water survey. Through this presentation, I deepened my appreciation for rural America and the impact that the federal government has on small towns (especially drinking water, storm water, and wastewater regulation). As a policy analyst, I heard stories of how federal dollars did not meet the costs of associated with federal mandates, which negatively impacted small communities. Although requirements benefited the community, they placed an unfair burden on the municipality. As I learned more about federal water quality policy, I began to understand that the work within the GAO was an avenue in which I could do good work by analyzing federal policy and making sure its administration and enforcement met congressional requirements. Nevertheless, I knew that as a policy analyst, I would not be able to make the final deciding step: providing assurances to those rural communities. That point is what School House Rock does not teach you.

 

Me & Mark Braza (methodologist at GAO)

Thanks to the great team at the GAO. Alyssa Hundrup, Laura Gatz, Mark Braza, Merzahd Nadji, Ellen Crocker, and John Stephenson. These people make me glad that they're working for a better tomorrow. Craziest thing is that Alyssa's husband- Wyatt, came from Lewiston, ID (the town connected to my girlfriend's town of Clarkston, WA). Best of luck to them and their baby son, Martin. Now, it's back to school...

 

Websites (because this post is not as lame as the last one, but is still lame) http://www.peepresearch.org" target="_top">Marshmallow Peep Research- This is a wonderful website (taken from Julia Darcey's Facebook profile). McSweeney's- Bohemian literary website, where people just... ahh... um... submit little literary didleys (and update frequently). Crazy Thoughts- just a list of life's unanswered and absurd questions

In 1997, this commencement address (not written by Kurt Vonnegut) took the radio and the world by storm. It appeared in Chicken Soup for the Soul and eventually even made it as a song on the radio (some guy reading the poem with a snare in the background). It'll be interesting to see if someone will ever remake this "classic."

Ladies and gentlemen of the class of '97: Wear sunscreen. If I could offer you only one tip for the future, sunscreen would be it. The long-term benefits of sunscreen have been proved by scientists, whereas the rest of my advice has no basis more reliable than my own meandering experience. I will dispense this advice now. Enjoy the power and beauty of your youth. Oh, never mind. You will not understand the power and beauty of your youth until they've faded. But trust me, in 20 years, you'll look back at photos of yourself and recall in a way you can't grasp now how much possibility lay before you and how fabulous you really looked. You are not as fat as you imagine. Don't worry about the future. Or worry, but know that worrying is as effective as trying to solve an algebra equation by chewing bubble gum. The real troubles in your life are apt to be things that never crossed your worried mind, the kind that blindside you at 4 pm on some idle Tuesday. Do one thing every day that scares you. Sing: Don't be reckless with other people's hearts. Don't put up with people who are reckless with yours. Floss: Don't waste your time on jealousy. Sometimes you're ahead, sometimes you're behind. The race is long and, in the end, it's only with you. Remember compliments you receive. Forget the insults. If you succeed in doing this, tell me how. Keep your old love letters. Throw away your old bank statements. Stretch: Don't feel guilty if you don't know what you want to do with your life. The most interesting people I know didn't know at 22 what they wanted to do with their lives. Some of the most interesting 40-year-olds I know still don't. Get plenty of calcium. Be kind to your knees. You'll miss them when they're gone. Maybe you'll marry, maybe you won't. Maybe you'll have children, maybe you won't. Maybe you'll divorce at 40' maybe you'll dance the funky chicken on your 75th wedding anniversary. Whatever you do, don't congratulate yourself too much, or berate yourself either. Your choices are half chance. So is everybody else's. Enjoy your body. Use it every way you can. Don't be afraid of it or of what other people think of it. It's the greatest instrument you'll ever own. Dance, even if you have nowhere to do it but your living room. Read the directions, even if you don't follow them. Do not read beauty magazines. They will only make you feel ugly. Get to know your parents. You never know when they'll be gone for good. Be nice to your siblings. They're your best link to your past and the people most likely to stick with you in the future. Understand that friends come and go, but with a precious few you should hold on. Work hard to bridge the gaps in geography and lifestyle because the older you get, the more you need the people who knew you when you were young. Live in New York City once, but leave before it makes you hard. Live in Northern California once, but leave before it makes you soft. Travel. Accept certain inalienable truths: Prices will rise. Politicians will philander. You, too, will get old. And when you do, you'll fantasize that when you were young, prices were reasonable, politicians were noble, and children respected their elders. Respect your elders. Don't expect anyone else to support you. Maybe you have a trust fund. Maybe you'll have a wealthy spouse. But you never know when either one might run out. Don't mess too much with your hair or by the time you're 40 it will look 85. Be careful whose advice you buy, but be patient with those who supply it. Advice is a form of nostalgia. Dispensing it is a way of fishing the past from the disposal, wiping it off, painting over the ugly parts and recycling it for more than it's worth. But trust me on the sunscreen.

I highlight the beauty magazine portion, because I was recently looking at a number of scholarship websites: Truman, Rhodes, Marshall, Jack Kent Cooke (to which my friend Janelle Knox is a recipient [good luck in Oxford]), etc. After seeing how amazing these people were (these people of God- exemplars of humanity), I just felt kind of ugly. The quote isn't just about the visceral emotion, but it is to tell you to not spend your time striving to be beyond your physical capability, but to just love yourself for who you are. Maybe I'm the only person who feels this way...

Websites (because this post is not as lame as the last one, but is still lame) Giant Pink Bunny on Italian Mountainside- seriously. Elizabethtown- This movie doesn't look that great, but it seems interesting. Who is this guy?!- Fairly interesting things to say, but it's odd... The website dedicated to the Art of Propaganda- Really interesting... propaganda from American, Soviet, Japanese, etc.

 

1. You accidentally enter your password on the microwave.

2. You haven't played solitaire with real cards in years.

3. You have a list of 15 phone numbers to reach your family of 3.

4. You e-mail the person who works at the desk next to you.

5. Your reason for not staying in touch with friends and family is that they don't have e-mail addresses.

6. You pull up in your own driveway and use your cell phone to see if anyone is home to help you carry in the groceries.

7. Every commercial on television has a web site at the bottom of the screen.

8. Leaving the house without your cell phone, which you didn't have the first 20 or 30 (or 60) years of your life, is now a cause for panic and you turn around to go and get it.

10. You get up in the morning and go online before getting your coffee.

11. You start tilting your head sideways to smile. : )

12. You're reading this and nodding and laughing.

13. Even worse, you know exactly to whom you are going to forward/refer this message.

14. You are too busy to notice there was no #9 on this list.

15. You actually scrolled back up to check that there wasn't #9 on this list.

16. Oh, and when constituent services means responding to allegations of UFOs. GAO is fine, I'm working hard, hope all is well... Liz is about to leave for Senegal... Websites (because we all know how lame this post is) Gulf Wars: Clone of the Attack- Don't you just love satirical posters? UC Berkeley Article on Cross Cultural Barriers- Quite interesting, subtle differences, you wouldn't normally notice. Little Blue Light- Is this takeoff of K-Mart, or is it possibly an easy to use web guide for students about poetry, literature, and thought? Claremont McKenna is on Reference.com!- Allegations are confirmed! They list who our famous alumni are, which includes Tyra Banks, Robin Williams, and Randy Kraft.

I recently received a friendly letter from Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (non-voting, non-binding representative from the District of Columbia in the U.S. Congress). The letter was clearly constituent mail consisting of a quarter on local issues like employment, and then the rest of the letter dedicated to D.C. Voting Rights.

Now, we should all know the story about D.C. Voting Rights, right? Essentially, residents of Washington D.C. do not have the right to classical “liberty” (participation in the legislative process). D.C. residents can vote for President, but they have no Senators, and the one representative allotted to D.C. residents (Norton) does not have power to vote. D.C. is more like Guam or the Virgin Islands, than it is a part of the United States. Moreover, the state of New York can dictate its own gun laws, but Washington D.C. have home rule over its city and its own gun laws.

Solutions proposed have included statehood or at least voting rights for D.C.’s lone representative. As the Washington Times reported, “D.C. voting rights was a GOP platform up until the late 1974 when a GOP-led Congress and White House under President Nixon gave the city limited home rule after originally advocating for statehood.” Obviously the GOP has changed with its actions in 1994 rescinding a Gephardt bill aimed to give Congresswoman Norton one vote in the House of Representatives.

Tell anybody in the U.S. and they will be shocked. Responses range from “How can D.C. not have any power in Congress when its population is greater than Wyoming?!” to “Taxation Without Representation- That’s a funny license plate.” Was Adam Smith completely right in saying that humans only act selfishly for their own self-interest?

On a Dilbert web clip, a 6-year old girl scout arrives at Dilbert’s doorstep and asks Dilbert to buy her cookies at the exorbitant price of $40/box. Dilbert, suddenly aware that the Girl Scouts have a monopoly on their trademarked cookies and exploit the free labour of young children declines the sale.

The young girl pauses, and then proceeds to cry about how the previous generation is selfish, caring only for their own consumption, passing on problems of exploited resources, increased fiscal debt, and poor environmental quality to the next generation. Dilbert, feeling guilty, signs the dotted line and buys seven boxes.

The young Girl Scout thanks him for giving her the chance to go to Space Camp. I asked one of my co-workers about this feeling of guilt amongst the older generation, and he replied jokingly, “Well, I do feel guilty about passing on my problems to you kids, but when I drive around in my Hummer, I think ‘man, this feels good’ and ‘problems build character.’”

Is it possible that human beings can act because doing so is righteous, even (Socrates, dare I say) virtuous? What would have happened if the Underground Railroad, the Civil Rights Movement, U.S. protection of Europe during the Cold War never occurred because people were too selfish? We should not forget that the world’s most selfless person gave his life hoping that humanity could understand the true meaning of selflessness. Even if giving D.C. voting rights, fixing up the election system, recycling, or caring about the poor of these generate any economically “positive externalities,” we should do things because they are right.

Websites

• Fun with Dick and Jane- At least, I think it’s a humorous movie trailer.
• Store Wars- Luke Skywalker is some type of organic produce…
• Beauty and the Geek- My first time watching TV in a while and I watch this show.
• If you lose an election, it’s probably because you were ugly… explains my luck. But how do Dick Cheney or Ted Kennedy do it? Huge impacts: we need more celebrity politicians and we need younger politicians.

Check out my Amy’s blog- she’s smarter than me, so probably has better commentary.
Who’s the movie star that will make it in 50 years? Quite shocking who the unlikely candidate may be…

Warning: Imported from old college This post was moved from an older website hosted on a college server. These have been unedited and contain many mistakes. But, whatever.

People come to this website and wonder two things: (1) Who is this guy?! (2) Adventures?! Are you kidding me? I’ve had more adventures with a jug of milk and a tennis ball.

To those individuals, I answer (1) check my About page, and (2) I can’t beat the good old days of Milk Jug Minton, “Pantyhose & Tennis Balls” (a.k.a. foxtails), and other ways to have gym class in underfunded school districts. However, I will write more about adventures… which brings to mind the title for this week’s post.

I recently met and interesting character at GAO: Omari Norman. I wrote a welcome article (for the NRE newsletter, but this is only my own personal musings and in no way is the opinion or representation from the GAO) about this interesting guy.

For those who don’t understand the title, Omari’s office is on the seventh floor of the building, as is the Comptroller General, the boss of bosses at GAO. We all probably know what it’s like to work in any large organization where the supreme boss is worshipped and people will always listen to what he says.

That’s a good thing in any organization because it means that you have a good organizational hierarchy, good leadership, and most importantly it’s something thatDilbert constantly pokes fun at. So, hopefully, you’ll get the joke…

“God the Highest” Resides on the Seventh Floor Omari usually receives questions about his name, and the usual answer is “Swahili for God the Highest.” However, most of the time, Omari is the one doing the questioning. For example, Omari cannot read the law degree in his office. As one of the newest attorneys assigned to NRE, this news may cause alarm. Sure– Omari can pronounce “Collegium Georgiopolitanum” and the rest of the Latin script on his degree, but he has no idea what it means. If people ask him what his law degree says, he is forced sheepishly to pull out the translation sheet his law school provided. Although irksome to Omari, it is quite entertaining to hear him discuss his arcane degree.

This small observation exemplifies the interesting way Omari looks at life and the audit support he provides NRE. He pays attention to detail, and in doing so, always finds something of interest. Sitting down for an afternoon interview with him, one would not know that he is a guy who likes to cook vegetarian meals (he’s not vegetarian though, he also cooks his mother’s fried chicken recipe) or that he has a website dedicated to the Infrastructure of the D.C. Metrorail called the Pipeshaft.

“I don’t know all that much about the Metro, but I like to take pictures of it,” says Omari. “For instance, you’ll find Metro’s sidewalk grates all over town. Sometimes they provide ventilation for the tunnels, and at other grates there might be bits of electrical infrastructure underneath.” He has seen a grate near the White House, and he thinks there is an emergency evacuation stairway inside.

On his computer appear the big words: The Japanese American Memorial to Patriotism During World War II grate. “This grate fascinates me because it is integrated into the WWII memorial.” This isn’t the World War II memorial on the Mall but, rather, a memorial that is near the Capitol on Louisiana Avenue.

When you ask him about the cause of his interests, Omari gives a slight shrug. Perhaps D.C. public transportation fascinates him because he grew up in Denver, Colorado, a city that does not have an underground public transportation system. Or perhaps, he was destined for greatness (or godliness), as his name implies, and as such should know everything. He does reside on the seventh floor, right? Ask Omari about his mother’s intentions and he will reply jovially, “She got the name from a book of black baby names. My parents taught me perseverance, but they weren’t pushy. They let me pursue my interests.”

For as long as he can remember, he has been interested in anything and everything. Peculiarly, he first learned about GAO through his curiosity. While a Boettcher Scholar majoring in Political Science at the University of Colorado, his interest was piqued when he happened upon some GAO reports. He spent an evening perusing reports on the GAO website. AtGeorgetown Law, he had the opportunity to intern in 2003, and he continued to work part-time until he started full-time at GAO in 2004.

“Only while working for NRE would I learn about ’stream-gauging’ or Mexican power plants,” explains Omari. The work he does for GAO keeps up his interest in politics, but delights his curiosity. He’ll tell you that his goal is to just live life to its fullest and enjoy every moment like most human beings in the world. The difference though, is that Omari practices what he preaches, by attempting new things like trying to program a database that shows nutrition data from recipes. While working at a civil rights law firm before coming to GAO, he was fascinated by his work on “donning & doffing” labor cases, which involves people working in agribusiness settings who must spend long periods of time dressing up in their protective gear. By no means, are his interests limited; he likes oranges, cantaloupe, the movie: When Harry Met Sally, the weekly NRE Thursday lunch (of which he has a humorous first-time lunch story), and recommends people read the book: Confessions of a Tax Collector by Richard Yancey.

So, if you have any questions about the law, Metro, or life’s details, does not hesitate to seek Omari.

Perhaps, these adventures will suffice:
Who’s Florence Sabin or Jack Swigert? And you call yourself a Coloradan…
Where’s Dave Chappelle? Newsweek answers…
In an effort to undercut the U.S. News and World Report, America’s Best Colleges… Newsweek now ranks America’s top high schools! I proudly say that Lakewood is 111th, but I’ll have to wait until Time comes out with America’s best middle schools.
Gay in the Heartland- NPR always just… gets it right.

“He that is without sin among you, let him cast the first stone at her.”- John 8:7

Liz received the 2nd season of the West Wing as a birthday present. It’s a wonderful show about the president and his stalwart group of staffers who help run the country (mainly in the communications office, it’d be boring anywhere else). One particular episode, entitled the midterms has President Bartlet confronting a religious right “talking head” Jenna Jacobs (Rush Limbaugh, Ann Coulter, Phyllis Schlafly, Dr. Laura type):

 

BARTLET: Good. I like your show. I like how you call homosexuality an abomination.

JENNA JACOBS: I don’t say homosexuality is an abomination, Mr. President. The Bible does.

BARTLET: Yes, it does. Leviticus.

JENNA JACOBS: 18:22.

BARTLET: Chapter and verse. I wanted to ask you a couple of questions while I had you here.

I’m interested in selling my youngest daughter into slavery as sanctioned in Exodus 21:7. (small chuckles from the guests) She’s a Georgetown sophomore, speaks fluent Italian, and always clears the table when it was her turn. What would a good price for her be? While thinking about that, can I ask another? My Chief of Staff, LeoO McGarry, insists on working on the Sabbath, Exodus 35:2, clearly says he should be put to death. Am I morally obligated to kill him myself or is it okay to call the police? Here’s one that’s really important, ’cause we’ve got a lot of sports fans in this town. Touching the skin of a dead pig makes us unclean, Leviticus 11:7. If they promise to wear gloves, can the Washington Redskins still play football? Can Notre Dame? Can West Point? Does the whole town really have to be together to stone my brother, John, for planting different crops side by side? Can I burn my mother in a small family gathering for wearing garments made from two different threads?

Think about those questions, would you?”

The original quote came from an open letter to Dr. Laura. As with all arguments, usually the more knowledgeable person wins. The reason why this discussion was won by Bartlett was because he:

1. Used the commensurate terms of the text of the Bible to take on Jenna Jacbob’s argument, and
2. Combined humour, sports, and hyperbole to help undermine the foundation of the argument.

The fictitious Bartlett went to Notre Dame to become a priest, met his wife, and instead chose to have children and become an economist. These are the types of leaders we need in this world (don’t know how many of them there are). We need women and men who are well-learned, and are unafraid to confront hypocrites on the same field and same turf. Like a football coach at Lakewood once told me, “You can’t win a game if you don’t show up.” (The quote gets the point across.)

Thus, my friends who are angry with the religious right or the hypocrisy of those who “speak” for God, stop getting angry and start studying the good book. Learning about the life of Jesus Christ, and the true tenets of Christian faith is important to understanding literature, western civilization, and why Christianity has spread so far (it’s not because it was an exclusive religion). Get a student bible which can help explain themes, characters, and will help explain the translation from I don’t care what religion, faith, or particular stance you take on monotheistic religion; a good reading of a student bible will do you well in the future.

Links from the right Christians (not the Christian Right), seriously read this if you are a thinking Christian:
Soujourners- social justice and spiritual renewal, the right way
God’s Politics : Why the Right Gets It Wrong and the Left Doesn’t Get It- Written by Jim Wallis, the editor fo the Sojourners magazine
God & Sex by Nicholas Kristof (NY Times columnist)

Obviously, if you have read this website, faith has been a constant theme, but I hope this helps.