Summer

So I've been really bad about updating this since coming back to Maine for the summer. However there isn't really much to talk about. I've been working a lot since getting back. I found that I didn't save nearly enough last summer to make it through the school year. I've been spending way less, and saving much more.

I've enjoyed being back in the great state of Maine, but I'm just starting to miss Loyola, Baltimore and my friends at school. I'll be making the great voyage down to Maryland sometime in July though to visit and travel to Phil's 'camp' in Virginia. I'm quite excited to see everyone and it should be a good time. I'm not looking forward to that southern heat though.

I've been reading Anna Karenina while working the 9 hour shifts at Pine Point Beach. It took me a while to get into the book at first, but now it's really starting to get interesting. Tolstoy completely blends the lives of each of the characters with great skill and accuracy. I've really enjoyed reading the progression of each of the characters as the novel progresses. I've found that the book has provided me with an insight into the lost world of the aristocracy of Russia. I get so excited when Tolstoy's political views shine through in some of the characters as he writes about land reforms and worker's rights throughout the book. I find it incredibly interesting, especially in that Tolstoy must have sensed the change brewing in Russia on the eve of the October Revolution.

I also read a biography of Che Guevara, who is a man that I've always had mixed feelings about. the biography was short and concise, but it really gave me some clarity as to where El Che came from and how he formed his beliefs. Obviously I'm not a fan of Che's violent tactics, however the outcome of the guerrillas in Cuba was remarkable. The book focused extensively on how Cuban revolution (and Latin America in general) differed from the rigid doctrine of Marx's Communism. The Cubans promoted revolution from the rural areas and progressed into the cities. Marx saw the future of communism coming from the urban factory workers throughout Europe's industrial cities. I thought it was interesting how Guevara and the Castros orchestrated and modified Marx's ideas to better suit the differences in Cuba. I also found it very interesting that Fidel promised elections throughout the revolution, only to end up installing himself as dictator. Che saw this problem as well as the future economic problems in Cuba if the government failed to diversify it's economy and move away from exporting monoculture crops (coffee, tobacco and sugar). Che was right in the end, but was nonetheless forced to leave Cuba and eventually murdered.

I'm quite looking forward to the weekend of the 4th of July as my friends will be coming out to my camp on the lake for some festivities. I've very much enjoyed hanging out at the Swords household lately as well. Liam's neighborhood has a pond in it, and its been a lot of fun swimming and hanging out by the pond. I also really want to go to Six Flags sometime in July too!

Anyways, that's all for now. We'll see when I have the time to update this next.

Paz.