kiva

Last night Domino and I went to a comedy show at Harvard. It was pretty crude and sometimes funny, but we enjoyed hanging out as always. The best thing about it, however, was that it benefited this really cool organization called Kiva.
Kiva is a micro finance company that provides loans to poor people in other countries to help them start or expand their business. Since I am a college student and I have loads of loans myself, I never thought I would be able to make a significant loan to anyone else, but Kiva makes it possible.
Right now, you can only makes loans of $25. Plus, since it's a loan, you will get it back. Although, most people just keep putting what they get back into the system.
So, because of this organization, I was able to help a woman in Nicaragua with her store. This is her page here. It's cool because other people are a part of her loan too. So from Canada to England, California to Florida, Louisiana to North Reading, Massachusetts, strangers have come together to help someone they don't even know have a better life. It's so cool, you should do it!

overhearing

I love the whole "Overheard" website concept. I often overhear people saying strange things, but more often, people probably overhear me saying strange things.

The best recent instance of this was probably two weeks ago when I was on the Orange Line and late to work. I needed a phone number, and my only hope to get it was guiding my grandma via phone to get on the computer to go online and get it... "Ok do you know where the internet is... Now, hit enter. It's on the keyboard Gram...V as in Victor. No, not winter VICTOR."
I had to talk really loud too. I bet my fellow commuters enjoyed that.

The other day at school I overheard a girl complaining, "My girlfriend is living with my ex-boyfriend!!" Must be complicated...

But here is a gem I saw on the Overheard Everywhere site today:

From Jane Austin's Nonsense and Insensibility
Guy: Hello, pot, this is the kettle! You're black!
Girl: I am not black. What are you talking about?
Guy: It's a metaphor. Do you know what a metaphor is?
Girl: Yes -- it's a giant flaming rock that comes out of the sky. You never make any sense.

Seattle, Washington

via Overheard Everywhere, Oct 8, 2007

January 1996

I found a story that my brother dictated to his teacher on January 19, 1996. It comes with some awesome graphics, most likely made with Kid Pix, but I don't have a scanner, so you'll have to imagine.

"The dragon went and tried to blow fire on the spider man. But he was too strong. The rat helped the spider man. They found a little boy climbing a mountain. The rat went to the banana tree and got a banana to eat. He was rich."

Amazing. I am so proud. That was by Erik, by the way. The next youngest brother was junior in college in January 1996. But you never know...