tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-54605312024-02-28T13:59:27.967-05:00Swimming Along the HorizonTry as you might, the horizon will continue to elude you despite your endless persistence. Don't make the destination the sole meaning. Take pleasure in the journey. Swim a minute beside me...Adam Aronsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13730122219739057099noreply@blogger.comBlogger136125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5460531.post-52051510423198325432021-01-23T14:06:00.002-05:002021-01-23T14:06:52.328-05:00Reflections on my amazing chess coach, Alfred Carlin's passing<p>Originally posted as a comment on TheChessDrum.com, on the article: <a href="https://www.thechessdrum.net/blog/2018/04/03/new-orleans-master-alfred-carlin-passes-away/" target="_blank">5-time Louisiana champ Alfred Carlin passes away</a></p><p>These beautiful memories and reflections are bringing tears welling. I met Alfred when I was in third grade at Metairie Park Country Day School. Alfred was our chess club teacher, and my best friend and I went onto become Alfred's students in the late 80s and early 90s at the Chess Academy of New Orleans. I spent endless Thursday nights playing in the weekly tournaments and too many weekends to recount. I got waxed across the board back and forth and slugged it out with players who I aspired to be as good as one day. </p><p>I miss Alfred's bigger than life personality. He embodied the verve, attitude and kindness I love most about New Orleans. A hilarious man, I've adopted dozens of his idioms from those years. </p><p>I have been waiting and waiting for my own daughter, now 7, to take up chess. She's becoming so good so fast it reminds me of my childhood, and she now has an insatiable appetite for the game. I blundered the other day, and she beat me for the first time, and she regaled in joy for a long time. My father taught me to play first, and after six months he could no longer win and sought out harder opponents to spur me on. Even more than the celebration of beating me, she could not wait to share with her grandfather her accomplishment.</p><p>Just a few days later she repeated as I had recently introduced her, "if it's free, it's for me." Alfred's legacy lives on. His passion and kindness were indelible. He taught me so many life lessons. I left New Orleans at the best my game ever was. Winning the 8th grade Louisiana scholastic championship beating out my head to head sparring partner, John Bick; another Chess Academy staple. While my play went into perma-stasis, John went on to become a National Master. </p><p>What I wouldn't give to sit at the board again and watch Alfred pretend to roll up sleeves, twist a pinned piece permanently onto its square and watch him grin ear to ear knowing that he has right where he wanted me. I miss my coach.</p>Adam Aronsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13730122219739057099noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5460531.post-52685065009031806222020-07-12T12:53:00.003-04:002020-07-12T13:31:14.172-04:00Why We're Giving<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Sometime back I wanted to support an organization by making a donation, but it was not a good time financially to give as I would have liked. Frustrated with myself about the situation I started supporting organizations with small monthly donations. Each time we've made it a little further in our careers we have added another monthly donation or two for organizations that matters to us. Currently, and in other times, we have also supported organizations by volunteering with strategy and advocacy initiatives, and we currently hold one board seat between us. We support all of the organizations linked below ongoingly except where noted.<br /><br />Drawing on Jeffrey Sachs' holistic approaches to helping eliminate poverty and solve endemic diseases, we are inspired to address community development and creating better opportunities for underserved communities. We have varied the <b>(SECTOR)</b> of the charities we support to be intentionally broad forming a comprehensive approach to social impact.<br /><br />What motivates your charity? Please share about the organizations you are passionate about. We are always excited to learn about organizations’ great work and missions, yet I realized recently that I do not know who most of my friends support and why it's important to them. I invite you to share stories about organizations you are passionate about and why supporting them matters.<br /><br />Why We’re Giving:<br /><br /><b>(HEALTH)</b> We support <a href="https://bit.ly/2ZLuxXs">Partners In Health</a> for their ongoing amazing work in Haiti and around the world training and building capacity in addition to delivering services.<br /><br /><b>(ENVIRONMENT)</b> In hopes of one day offsetting our carbon footprint we have been supporting <a href="https://bit.ly/2ZJr0sm">Trees Canada</a> planting approximately seven trees a month across five provinces in Canada. Perhaps within six to ten years our family will be carbon neutral for all of our lives, and we'll continue planting many more trees beyond that. <br /><br />New York Harbor used to be the epicenter of oyster culture the world over. Moreover, the harbor needs its bivalve friends now more than ever to help clean and millions of gallons of water constantly flowing through. To that end we're supporting the <a href="https://bit.ly/2Bz032O">Billion Oyster Project</a> out of the Harbor School on Governor's Island. In a super cool project they're currently raising <a href="https://bit.ly/31HXlTc">15 Million "spat on shell" in Red Hook</a> before installing them to the mouth of the bronx river.<br /><br /><b>(COMMUNITY RADIO)</b> We have been long time listeners and supporters of <a href="https://bit.ly/2BwxOll">WNYC</a>. We appreciate their news, entertainment and overall cultural awareness; they're always the eyes and ears of New York.<br /><br /><b>(GRASSROOTS DEVELOPMENT)</b> <a href="https://bit.ly/2ZHV0oq">Thousands Currents</a> supports grassroots groups in the Global South deploying resources and strategic social impact investing. <br /><br /><b>(ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT)</b> I have long believed in the merits of capitalistic systems. One way I have been able to scale the impact of our development focus dollars is through <a href="https://bit.ly/2Dcxvwq">Kiva</a>. While I am concerned with the 20-35% interest rates that borrowing entrepreneurs can experience, I am able to relend every loan that's paid back. With $2,362 contributed over the years we have been able to lend out more than $10,500 to hundreds of entrepreneurs in 77 countries in over 14 sectors.<br /><br /><b>(PRISON EDUCATION AND REENTRY)</b> For more than a decade I have been advocating for changes in imprisonment, educational and rehabilitation opportunities and reentry services. <a href="https://bit.ly/2Z1tzac">College and Community Fellowship</a> under the leadership of <a href="https://bit.ly/2Z0Gnxo">Vivian Nixon</a> is doing amazing work.<br /><br /><b>(LGBTQ)</b> <a href="https://bit.ly/38s5sEM">Lamda Literary</a> elevates the voice of LGBTQ authors and recognizes the beautiful written arts they create with awards such as the <a href="https://bit.ly/2Z23sQA">Lammy's</a>. <br /><br /><b>(EARLY CHILDHOOD LITERACY) </b><a href="https://bit.ly/2O01xWo">Room to Read</a> ensures books are available in all children's' homes, especially so that early years are filled with words, adventure and story.<br /><br /><b>(EDUCATION)</b> We give to our high schools but not our universities (yet).</div>
Adam Aronsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13730122219739057099noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5460531.post-56054976790206728482019-05-12T16:53:00.000-04:002019-05-12T16:53:09.058-04:00I miss you, Chad.<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<i>It's nine o'clock on a Saturday</i><br />
<i>The regular crowd shuffles in</i><br />
<i>There's an old man sitting next to me</i><br />
<i>Makin' love to his tonic and gin</i></blockquote>
I would have come across <a href="https://open.spotify.com/track/3FCto7hnn1shUyZL42YgfO?si=qS36ETsrRMKG9165fHFwDw" target="_blank">Piano Man</a> at some point growing up and learning the modern classics. But, it wasn't just anywhere this happened, I heard this tune time and again at Chad Ferrand's house on Tolmas Dr. He had, like I would later, Billy Joel's <a href="https://open.spotify.com/album/7hSjhZyFoR5DHEL8wcWFD5?si=cCm2CGs3RWmkNuNQ-UyqIA" target="_blank">Greatest Hits Volume I & Volume II</a> two disc CD set. Disc 1 track 1, Piano Man, the maestro's nickname sake. We would listen to Piano Man repeatedly, run it in the background and play the afternoon away. The Entertainer, Scenes from an Italian Restaurant, Only the Good Die Young, the whole lot. We were playing 80s and early 90s classic PC games like <a href="https://www.abandonwaredos.com/abandonware-game.php?abandonware=Defender+of+the+Crown&gid=1129" target="_blank">Defender of the Crown</a> and S<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scorched_Earth_(video_game)" target="_blank">corched Earth</a>.<br />
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<i>He says, "Son, can you play me a memory</i><br />
<i>I'm not really sure how it goes</i><br />
<i>But it's sad and it's sweet and I knew it complete</i><br />
<i>When I wore a younger man's clothes"</i></blockquote>
I will always recall my childhood coarseness asking once why Chad had a need for such fancy basketball shoes. Chad wanted to keep up with the latest trends like all of us, but unlike the rest of us Chad could not use his shoes for their intended sport; he was unable to walk. Chad was born with spinal muscular atrophy (SMA). His life was exceptional in so many ways. He was extremely fortunate to be surrounded by patient and skilled physicians; they tended to his many health needs from his first breath to his last.<br />
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<i>Sing us a song, you're the piano man</i><br />
<i>Sing us a song tonight</i><br />
<i>Well, we're all in the mood for a melody</i><br />
<i>And you've got us feelin' alright</i></blockquote>
I am a shitty friend. Chad and I grew apart. Principally this was because I left New Orleans to attend high school out of state, and progressively as time went on we thought of one another less frequently and saw each other even less often. This is not unexpected among adolescents it would be the exception really across vast distances and prolonged periods to maintain all childhood friendships. No, I am a shitty friend because Chad ultimately succumbed to his condition in his early twenties, and I did not stop and take the time to honor and properly remember him. His loving sisters and mother reached out to me when they were putting together a memorial book in his honor. I said, yes! I will write something remembering Chad, and I did not. All natural childhood distance separation aside, this was different, this was final. I responded affirmatively and acted neglectfully. This was no childhood coarseness, this was not properly honoring the deceased, my friend.<br />
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<i>Now John at the bar is a friend of mine</i><br />
<i>He gets me my drinks for free</i><br />
<i>And he's quick with a joke or to light up your smoke</i><br />
<i>But there's someplace that he'd rather be</i><br />
<i>He says, "Bill, I believe this is killing me"</i><br />
<i>As the smile ran away from his face</i><br />
<i>"Well I'm sure that I could be a movie star</i><br />
<i>If I could get out of this place"</i></blockquote>
In graduate school I struck up a fast friendship with Rachel Mintz. Rachel introduced herself with the same intense direct focus I would come to cherish in every interaction. She was a New Yorker. Unlike the Piano Man, who is an avid Mets fan, Rachel was pin stripes through and through. She exuded a love for <i>the city</i> and was always in a New York State of Mind. Rachel knew how to entertain and was always up for hosting a smashing 4th of July or gather a small group for fight night.<br />
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<i>Now Paul is a real estate novelist</i><br />
<i>Who never had time for a wife</i><br />
<i>And he's talkin' with Davy, who's still in the Navy</i><br />
<i>And probably will be for life</i></blockquote>
Rachel was always game for gathering. She had a joyous aura about her. She was always involved and progressing with something whether her art, a non-profit she advised, or work with the city. I was shocked to hear she passed away recently; cancer stole so many good years ahead right out from under her. I have a history of cancer in my family, and I have seen the not so young taken in their sixties and seventies, ok, perhaps, but forties? FUCK CANCER. That is a scourge I will be very glad to witness humanity get one over on. I have a profound respect for the beauty and complexity of nature, and mother nature is a brilliant executioner. Had Rachel seen that coming she would have been at the front lines working against it because she was just such a spirit, brilliant, impassioned and ceaseless.<br />
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<i>And the waitress is practicing politics</i><br />
<i>As the businessmen slowly get stoned</i><br />
<i>Yes, they're sharing a drink they call loneliness</i><br />
<i>But it's better than drinkin' alone</i></blockquote>
Another friend recently noted that she's twenty plus weeks into cancer treatment, and another still has been fighting it while simultaneously precariously balancing the challenges with other conditions.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgP-jPnMgh3l_uxRNqGtJQpPkJVZkjKGjkiyioW6ltxPvGtO9fTFo20sFsm3loKw3y3M4tlMSZzBiP6ItDPWC8rlmmT2brmbf4k2-Ldw3YatwEOtXcv8mxerW9M0alWOdPoh6ug/s1600/IMG_5073.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="994" height="154" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgP-jPnMgh3l_uxRNqGtJQpPkJVZkjKGjkiyioW6ltxPvGtO9fTFo20sFsm3loKw3y3M4tlMSZzBiP6ItDPWC8rlmmT2brmbf4k2-Ldw3YatwEOtXcv8mxerW9M0alWOdPoh6ug/s320/IMG_5073.PNG" width="320" /></a></div>
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I have been sending them my thoughts and wishes for expedient recoveries. These people, my people, are important to me, and they are not going to go stolen unbeknownst to me or drinkin' alone.<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<i>Sing us a song you're the piano man</i><br />
<i>Sing us a song tonight</i><br />
<i>Well we're all in the mood for a melody</i><br />
<i>And you got us feeling alright</i></blockquote>
Many of the nights where I cuddle with Willa we will sing a song or three. I print out the lyrics to songs I know and love from different times, and Piano Man is high on the nostalgia list. She loves it; she sings the chorus. It's one of the tracks she knows best of the growing songs corpus we sing. And, with her enthusiasm and our practice the song takes on a new life for me. Such is the gift of masterpieces and being passed down through the generations.<br />
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<i>It's a pretty good crowd for a Saturday</i><br />
<i>And the manager gives me a smile</i><br />
<i>'Cause he knows that it's me they've been comin' to see</i><br />
<i>To forget about life for a while</i><br />
<i>And the piano, it sounds like a carnival</i><br />
<i>And the microphone smells like a beer</i><br />
<i>And they sit at the bar and put bread in my jar</i><br />
<i>And say, "Man, what are you doin' here?"</i></blockquote>
I am a shit for not having written to honor Chad before now. His friendship and our camaraderie growing up left many indelible marks. I am so grateful he introduced me to Piano Man. I am so glad we had so many wonderful times together in life, and I wish him peace and comfort in his passing.<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<i>Sing us a song you're the piano man</i><br />
<i>Sing us a song tonight</i><br />
<i>Well we're all in the mood for a melody</i><br />
<i>And you got us feeling alright</i></blockquote>
<b>__________</b><br />
<b>Attribution</b>: Piano Man lyrics | Songwriters: <a href="https://www.billyjoel.com/" target="_blank">Billy Joel</a> | © <a href="https://www.umusicpub.com/" target="_blank">Universal Music Publishing Group</a><br />
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Adam Aronsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13730122219739057099noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5460531.post-34908851850802598082017-12-04T15:24:00.000-05:002017-12-04T15:24:04.229-05:00Fiesta de Chancho, A Pig Roast on My 37th Birthday<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/VWFMgOut1y3jBHfL2HAHWm6WzV-NE74xeGz1vrjAjnZUNdXh1pdX8mQ18nkboCVDNbNmKw00ZLXEu4lgLAxwidZFcvWl8hEnmQdKoHXWsIFvXECIDmFKXU1KvyEmj5kWL9s6KH-ZJZMmOPTJSXleuU8csjTnaxzyMN5-XUKgibp6oc2cyKoo52SzEk0dC-ZvqPDJQNCOdIT8NrRK1FWeW_M23XkJl0VMQyEedjK84vxuJnRHaaK7c119Ju9UJxPb-aU4Vli3EYhWMmvP_mbIyOtXIYfLm4SfHsfSzUkOc0k6ldxObYjUDVWClBxq8d01vMiqoGA5r-1SI1ezKXxquPIQjb8ezFdWrMQNZpMlRHDQSelWyCjX0x_SvJo3IRHVC7qfdrRZdZ2iveCsvr6OIa653UHo9fu18yWI-c_9nBK0jM-yozZq6tP5q7xc8d-3o5aV97Bn7ER9EDAC7a8N407or3YTbtJ4G_BB7nAxPD_tsqVEiAaOD4kEYmdVG0trOTONiN5kCszGpsBRTcZAZI2Qh2CMyz0iVAXRGBw-4JRN2fLUOvtL146NXm6oFBpnNmO8QneKxONmhN0Y7bkCVLl6bBwALG_dArGzZtaJxGaU2QIYxYZ6B_tIspUuQoBvmA-OAUifIOagSziJ3u_A7TKg1mLiE1fiQxI=w1022-h1360-no" imageanchor="1" style="font-size: medium; font-weight: 400; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1360" data-original-width="1020" height="640" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/VWFMgOut1y3jBHfL2HAHWm6WzV-NE74xeGz1vrjAjnZUNdXh1pdX8mQ18nkboCVDNbNmKw00ZLXEu4lgLAxwidZFcvWl8hEnmQdKoHXWsIFvXECIDmFKXU1KvyEmj5kWL9s6KH-ZJZMmOPTJSXleuU8csjTnaxzyMN5-XUKgibp6oc2cyKoo52SzEk0dC-ZvqPDJQNCOdIT8NrRK1FWeW_M23XkJl0VMQyEedjK84vxuJnRHaaK7c119Ju9UJxPb-aU4Vli3EYhWMmvP_mbIyOtXIYfLm4SfHsfSzUkOc0k6ldxObYjUDVWClBxq8d01vMiqoGA5r-1SI1ezKXxquPIQjb8ezFdWrMQNZpMlRHDQSelWyCjX0x_SvJo3IRHVC7qfdrRZdZ2iveCsvr6OIa653UHo9fu18yWI-c_9nBK0jM-yozZq6tP5q7xc8d-3o5aV97Bn7ER9EDAC7a8N407or3YTbtJ4G_BB7nAxPD_tsqVEiAaOD4kEYmdVG0trOTONiN5kCszGpsBRTcZAZI2Qh2CMyz0iVAXRGBw-4JRN2fLUOvtL146NXm6oFBpnNmO8QneKxONmhN0Y7bkCVLl6bBwALG_dArGzZtaJxGaU2QIYxYZ6B_tIspUuQoBvmA-OAUifIOagSziJ3u_A7TKg1mLiE1fiQxI=w1022-h1360-no" width="480" /></a></div>
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How did this all happen?</h2>
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I have been wanting to roast a whole pig for quite some time; until my birthday this past Sunday, I had never roasted a whole pig. While living in Sámara, Costa Rica, recently, I was inquiring with my friend, Canuche about BBQ and whether whole pigs are prepared here. Turns out they do happen from time to time, but more importantly, he too had been wanting to roast a whole pig. He had participated in a pig roast previously, but he hadn't been the lead on hosting and preparing the whole pig. We set out together to make our first time roasting a pig with a lot of research, planning and preparation.</div>
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We studied and met to discuss our plans numerous times over the preceding month. We considered different cooking methods, sauces, sizes and everything else in between. A couple weeks before the pig roast we took a trip with a friend to a nearby town and met a kind farmer, who had several pigs. We met the family, the pigs, crossed over army ants along the way and struck a deal on a young growing little white pig. </div>
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In the interceding weeks we finished our plans, ordered up all the materials, had a rack fabricated, and got started by picking up the pig a couple days before the roast. What follows is the outline of the steps for hosting our first joint <b>Fiesta de Chancho</b>.</div>
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I am not going to play it cool and say I was not nervous at points. We invited 80 people to a party, and I did not want to fuck up roasting a whole pig. The oven took longer than I would have liked to heat up, but that's one thousand pounds of cinder block for you.<br />
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I woke up at 4.30am, and I rode my bike past my favorite field lined with palm-trees, the ocean, a sky full of stars, and the first glimmers of day-break. We started the morning with some strong coffee. The second cup had a healthy pour of Bulleit Bourbon. I spent my 37th birthday tending a fire and roasting my first whole pig for 10 hours. When I took that initial bite of slow roasted bacon I got weak in the knees. It was everything I imagined it could have been. I drank beer with my legs cooling off in the river and laughed the whole day with my loving family as well as good friends new and newer.<br />
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I would like to shout out especially to my dear friends, Canuche and Mercy, for their partnership and hosting us at their hotel, <a href="http://www.villasespavel.com/" target="_blank">Villas Espavel</a>.<br />
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Here are a <a href="http://bit.ly/2A4DIIf" target="_blank">complete set of the photos from the pig roast</a> in case you're interested.<br />
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Timeline<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span></h2>
Pick up pig, Friday AM<br />
Clean and Brine, Friday AM<br />
Pig drying/salting/dry rub Sunday 5 AM<br />
Fire, Sunday 5 AM<br />
Cooking at 7AM PIG ON!<br />
Flip pig 10.30AM<br />
Take pig off, 2.45PM<br />
<h2 style="text-align: left;">
Oven Design and Materials<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span></h2>
We tossed around ideas of oven, pit, in-ground with stones, rotisserie and others. Ultimately, we landed on a simple cinder block design with a separate charcoal fire. The oven had two entries where coals could be added to the oven for easy access under the shoulders and the hams allowing us control the internal temperature primarily. We liked this design because it allowed us to cook the meatiest parts of the pig while not overdoing the tender sirloins.<br />
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When we assembled the oven it was slightly wobbly, so instead of sticking strictly to our design we widened the second layer to four bricks for stability. Additionally, we filled some of the cinderblocks with wood and earth for stability. It added to the oven mass a bit, but little comparatively to the weight of the bricks.<br />
<h3 style="text-align: left;">
Dimensions</h3>
In total we used about 65 cinderblocks<br />
2 cinder blocks wide by 3-4 cinder blocks long (~3’x5’)<br />
4 layers high for base + rack w/one more layer before the sheet metal top<br />
Our rack was not built exactly to spec, so we had to break a couple blocks to shorten them just a tad for the top layer of bricks; not ideal but it worked fine.<br />
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Source for the design: <a href="http://to.pbs.org/2kmtgF6" target="_blank">Whole Hog | BBQ with Franklin | PBS Food</a> (jump to 2:54)<br />
How ours turned out:<br />
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Rack for Pig<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span></h2>
We went with a custom fabricated rack, which sandwiched the pig. The idea was to bind the pig to the rack and cinch the two sides of the rack together tightly to ensure it was easy to flip and that we wouldn't lose any of the pig as it got really tender towards the end of the cook. Additionally, it was designed with the oven in mind, so that we could neatly add the pig atop the oven, and add one more single layer of blocks with a roof.<br />
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Source for the design: <a href="http://bit.ly/2nwis8H" target="_blank">Pig Roast How-To! - Part 2... (YouTube)</a><br />
How ours turned out:<br />
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Fuel<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span></h2>
Post construction at Villas Espavel there was a large stack of miscellaneous wood, plenty enough for 18+ hours of charcoal (only a small portion of the wood supply is shown below). The original plan was to cook the bigger pig for 18 hours over a 200-225 F fire.<br />
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<h2 style="text-align: left;">
Preparing the charcoal</h2>
We built a charcoal oven, which we kept burning tall throughout the cook, and with a handy spare iron window security grate the coals neatly fell through, and we shoveled them into the oven as needed.<br />
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<h2 style="text-align: left;">
Preparing the Pig Part 1</h2>
Crack the spine with a hatchet/axe and hammer all the way down in order to fully butterfly the pig<br />
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Prep the interior -- trim out the extra fat and pull the membrane off the back of the ribs<br />
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Wash the pig on both sides and be sure to scrub off all dirt and excess hair<br />
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<h2>
Brine</h2>
<h3 style="text-align: left;">
Recipe</h3>
<b>Base:</b><br />
4 Gallons of Water<br />
1 Gallon Apple Cider Vinegar<br />
2 Cups Kosher Salt<br />
<br />
<b>Aromatics:</b><br />
Apples<br />
Onions<br />
Garlic<br />
Rosemary<br />
Thyme<br />
Sage<br />
<br />
Source for the recipe: <a href="http://to.pbs.org/2kmtgF6" target="_blank">Whole Hog | BBQ with Franklin | PBS Food</a><br />
<br />
Inject the shoulders and hams with brine<br />
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Submerge the pig in the remaining base and add all the aromatics:<br />
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<div>
<h2>
Preparing the Pig Part 2</h2>
</div>
Remove the pig from the brine and hose it down completely. Pat down the skin as dry as possible<br />
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<div>
Rub the interior (we used a Pepper, Paprika, Cumin, Garlic Powder, and Onion Powder mixture)</div>
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<div>
Flip and rub down the entire skin with salt</div>
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Dry out the skin with fans, remove wet salt and reapply; all the while bringing the pig up to room-temperature 30 minutes or more<br />
<h2 style="text-align: left;">
Mop Sauce</h2>
We found a Mop Sauce with my grandmother's name, and additionally it had that Austin, TX vinegar flavor profile we were looking for!<br />
<h3 style="text-align: left;">
Merle's Mop Sauce</h3>
1 cup vinegar; cider or wine<br />5 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce<br />2/3 cup salad oil<br />3 tablespoons butter<br />1 each lemon; thinly sliced<br />3 each cloves; crushed<br />2 tablespoons ginger; grated<br />2 tablespoons dry mustard<br /><br />Combine all ingredients in a saucepan and heat until flavors are nicely blended. Use to baste any meat or poultry.<br />
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Source: <a href="http://bit.ly/2jeeGfg" target="_blank">BBQ-Porch by Carey Starzinger</a><br />
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<h2 style="text-align: left;">
BBQ Sauce to serve with pulled meat</h2>
<h3 style="text-align: left;">
Espresso Barbecue Sauce</h3>
1 1/2 cups ketchup<br />
1/2 cup white vinegar<br />
1/2 cup cider vinegar<br />
1/4 cup dark soy sauce<br />
1 tablespoon garlic powder<br />
1 tablespoon onion powder<br />
1/4 cup brown sugar<br />
3 tablespoons (1 1/2 ounces) freshly pulled espresso<br />
<br />
Brisket drippings, for flavoring<br />
Mix the ketchup, both vinegars, the soy sauce, garlic and onion powders, and sugar together in a saucepan and bring to a simmer over medium heat, stirring occasionally. Remove from the heat, stir in the espresso, and then add the brisket drippings to taste. Let cool, then transfer to a jar, bottle, squeeze bottle, or however you want to store it. Store in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.<br />
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Source: <a href="http://bit.ly/2jbshEo" target="_blank">Aaron Franklin</a><br />
<h2 style="text-align: left;">
Cooking Method</h2>
Based on what we learned from <i>BBQ with Franklin</i> our goal was to get the pig butts to an internal temperature of 203° F and the hams to 185-190° F. To do this we wanted the fire under the shoulder butts to be 220° F and under the hams 215° F. Given our first attempt we decided to aim for a universal 225° F oven temperature and if time ran short, we would raise the temperature up to 250° F to finish the pig.<br />
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How did it actually happen with the oven? It took us well over 90 minutes to get the oven up to temperature, and that put a pinch on our cook time. As we ran long on our cook we settled for hitting 185° F internal temperature front and back, which was cooked enough, but we would have liked to get a bit hotter.<br />
<br />
After the pig had cooked the first three hours skin side up, we mopped the skin, flipped it, and mopped the interior. Thereafter we mopped the pig interior every 40 minutes or so til done.<br />
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<h2 style="text-align: left;">
Pulling the meat</h2>
We let the pig setup 15 minutes after pulling it from the oven. We separated out all the bones, gathered up all the meat, shredded it and chopped some that was slightly tougher. Then, we mixed in a substantial amount of the skin that was crispy and delicious.<br />
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Adam Aronsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13730122219739057099noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5460531.post-1805382064782943432017-09-01T10:55:00.000-04:002017-09-01T10:55:21.659-04:00Swapping eBay for Swappa<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
As with many times in the past I upgraded my mobile phone, and I sought to sell my older model. I erased the phone, cleaned it up, took some pictures, and with eBay's assistance quickly listed the phone. I was pleasantly surprised to find that there's a new minimum guaranteed price feature if a couple required tweaks were applied to the listing. Great I thought to myself the phone was going to sell for even more than I suspected it was going to.<br />
<br />
Alright, a week later the eBay listing closese above the minimum. Wait for the buyer to pay. Wait for the buyer to pay. Wait for the buyer to pay. Begin dispute process. Several more days pass, and the listing and fees are nullified by eBay. Agreed that the buyer was bogus, no fees, and relisted, so we're back on our way to selling the phone again.<br />
<br />
Several days into the second listing for the phone I am solicited by a buyer via eBay's messaging. The buyer was traveling abroad from their native Netherlands. Send the user an invoice, and they would pay via Paypal directly; oh, and I am supposed to preemptively take down the eBay listing. Take the scammy bait, and I send off a paypal invoice. I get a pretty good looking Paypal payment spoof email, and the address I am supposed to mail the phone is in Nigeria. Log into my Pay Pal account, and there's no balance; clearly this is a scam. I look up all the eBay/Paypal spoof and scam reporting addresses and forward all the correspondences.<br />
<br />
Ok, I let the second eBay auction listing go to its natural conclusion. Get a couple questions within the last few minutes by a buyer, and that buyer wins the auction. An hour goes by, two hours go by, a day, and eventually enough time passed without payment to file my third action of trying to sell this phone. Again, the buyer turned out to be a bust, and the item gets relisted for a third time.<br />
<br />
Fast forward, there's a winner of the third auction, and this time there's an invoice followed by a successful legit Paypal payment! Great, my money is in escrow, so I go over to UPS, and I send off the phone to Florida. Phone is received by the supposed buyer, and a couple days later the Paypal dispute email comes in -- the buyer's account was reportedly illegitamently used to purchase the phone on eBay. I felt comfortable from the outset because selling through eBay and collecting through Paypal I was covered by Paypal's Seller Protection. Paypal ultimately ruled in favor of the buyer's account and repays the buyer, and I am unaffected by this decision because I sent the phone off in good faith as described and covered by Paypal's protection.<br />
<br />
The summary for selling this phone is three auctions, four scams, I'm paid, some rando got my wiped iPhone 6, Paypal bought my phone, and eBay lost a customer. All this took five weeks duration and lots of time dealing with a shitty purchasing ecosystem.<br />
<br />
In contrast, after that sale was completely done and past, I needed to purchase another new phone, and I went to <a href="http://bit.ly/2evgEbZ" target="_blank">Swappa</a>. I looked over the available offerings, and the phones were priced well in a marketplace setting. I purchased a phone, and within a week it arrived in the listed condition. That was easy, and the purchase too was covered by Paypal's protection.<br />
<br />
TL;DR I will be going to <a href="http://bit.ly/2evgEbZ" target="_blank">Swappa</a> in the future for my cell phone exchange needs. eBay is broken.</div>
Adam Aronsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13730122219739057099noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5460531.post-85275092611647047512017-08-24T15:06:00.001-04:002017-08-24T15:06:34.263-04:00Such Great Heights<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
I belive in endowing community services and providing more people the mental space and freedom to be educated. I firmly believe everyone on the planet ought to have stress free access to fully funded education; furthermore, they should be able to pursue the most advanced degree they desire to achieve. Throughout my life I will aspire to accomplish this mission.<br />
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My education has been world class by all standards. At the<a href="http://bit.ly/2voGFML" target="_blank"> Taft School</a>, which I proudly and fondly remember, I was inspired by the mission "Non ut sibi ministretur sed ut ministret (Not to be served but to serve)." I have served my myself, my family, and my community. By being whole of self and mind, I have been able to contribute actively and outward.<br />
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Many years back when I was considering undergraduate studies programs I became enamored with a school called the <a href="http://bit.ly/2v6Xtwc" target="_blank">Webb Institute</a>. It carries the name of William H Webb, who fully endowed the school. Any student driven enough, talented enough, and fortunate enough to attend will receive a 100% tuition-free experience. This is a world-class institution. I was not passionate enough or competitive enough, performance-wise, to reasonably complete with the best of the best that attend this fine institution. Their focus is on naval architecture and marine engineering, and undoubtedly some of the finest vessels to ever traverse the worlds waters are conceived of by Webb Institute graduates.<br />
<br />
Upon recently learning <a href="http://bit.ly/2voFFbu" target="_blank">Harris Rosen's story</a> I am also inspired. My desire to reach further and do more has been reinvigorated. Despite some setbacks early in his career, he has been a very successfully entrepreneur and hotelier. In recent years he has emphasized his philanthropy, which includes providing broad access to families needing assistance both money and time-wise to attend school.<br />
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It can be disheartening when you fail to mesh with those surrounding you professionally; Harris Rosen had similar struggles early on, and those challenges resonate with me. I see my challenges in the past as fruitful learning opportunities to dissect, to wrestle in that uncomfortable space, but also as firm ground to spring forth and achieve new heights. I am a lucky person to have had so much rich quality education, to have a healthy and happy family, and vigor to create a brighter spot in a seemingly encroaching world. Harris Rosen has risen above his personal challenges, and he has given so much to those around him.<br />
<br />
My friends over at Flocabulary worked on a beautiful PSA piece along with the Bill and Melinda Gates foundation on the <a href="http://bit.ly/2voOxOa" target="_blank">global time poverty struggles</a>. It highlights such a critical issue facing our world that there are stresses forcing in on families everywhere. Let that sit with you a minute. How high on the Maastricht hierarchy of needs are you and yours?<br />
<br />
I believe in hiring others to help out our family and expand the time that we have to be more productive and to be more restful. A <a href="http://nbcnews.to/2vprvqi" target="_blank">recent survey</a> found those buying services, which free up time, can make you happier. This is not a conflicted position because there are both people needing work, our ability to pay, and freeing us up to complete other activities.<br />
<br />
Should it be this way? I don't think so; I think everyone should not only be able to be as educated as they would like to, but they should be able to spend their time anyway they want to as well. I think there's a very bright spot in the future to introduce many more robots into society. Human intellect is key to realizing and fulfilling the potential that creating robots would mean for humanity. Essential tasks and services could be swiftly and more correctly handled by robots freeing up vast swaths of humanity to pursue other educational, productive, creative and recreational activities.<br />
<br />
Willam H Webb and Harris Rosen are heroes to me. They and their legacies are helping create the world I want to see. Think about your community a moment and consider whether your neighbors have the resources they need to subsist, to see themselves and their children advance to the degree we all know is possible. If there is a disparity there, I ask that you consider their needs and consider whether you have the ability to change their future. Do you have a dime or an hour to spare to advance their/our destiny to such great heights?<br />
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Adam Aronsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13730122219739057099noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5460531.post-18640035883698678632017-08-22T12:26:00.000-04:002017-08-22T12:26:10.160-04:00There is a "me" in Costa Rica<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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We quickly set in pretty swimmingly (literally every day and many days multiple times daily) when we first arrived. Willa was in a local camp here, <a href="http://bit.ly/2fWJdQ2" target="_blank">CREAR</a>, which runs during the mid-year school break, and she began her school the following Monday in mid-July. We sorted through our long term rental situation, and Marla and I each then took a couple weeks of Spanish classes, more in fact for Marla who is still continuing. Our language school <a href="http://bit.ly/2wk3Igz" target="_blank">Intercultura</a> provides world class education with a deliberate focus on Costa Rican history and culture. Completing each class it has become progressively easier to have a richer experience here in Sámara. I took a couple cooking classes, which is an offering at school's kitchen each week, and I learned how to make <a href="http://bit.ly/2fVSGaj" target="_blank">yuca tortas</a> and <a href="http://bit.ly/2fWGypI" target="_blank">picadillo</a>.</div>
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There are the occasional shrieks in the morning like when a crab was in the house the other day. We have worked on an ant encroachment into the house a couple times. Dislodging about a dozen wasps nests arounds the eaves took some efforts by our landlord the other week. While taking out our green waste the other day, which included some head to tail fish bodies Willa and I drew the attention of a racoon; the bandit started trailing about 10 feet behind us; thankfully, tossing the food waste into the horse field beside our house, the usual target, sent the racoon racing to get to the fishy remains first. Occasionally, a golf ball sized beetle will slam itself into the sliding door at night. We may have been reading and the slam jolts us back to the surface of our immediate surroundings.<br />
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This blog post for one was paused recently while I was writing poolside comfortably in the afternoon shade. Marla was reading and Willa watching a great new show, <a href="http://imdb.to/2fViJP2" target="_blank">Tumble Leaf</a>. There I was enjoying a nice quiet moment, and a yellow tailed wasp (they're the more aggressive lot compared with their all black brethren), and it started giving me a full body scan like a disgruntled TSA agent. I stood up, and the scan persisted seemingly even closer than before. Well, I was having none of it, and inside I went. One thing I most certainly do not want to experience here is how badly my body will react to a yellow wasp sting.<br />
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At our new house things went a bit south with the pool after an algae bloom kicked up. Ten days and many visits from the guys tending to the pool later it's back to looking crystal clear. Separately, it took a handful of visits from the landlord to work out all the kinks of the new house squeaks here, clogged drain there, missed times to connect on issues, and so forth. Everyone has been extremely helpful and able to do much with every contact we have had.<br />
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Dropping Willa off at school the other day I observed the metal shop immediately adjacent kicking out welding sparks. I became concerned because kids just like us adults have a very difficult time looking away from the allure of the blue glow. Much like yesterday's total eclipse starring right at it is an opthamologist's nightmare. After suggesting a couple ideas to the school a few friends and I are working on creating a "screen" to shield the kids' eyes. This was a necessary distraction from getting to my sabbatical business. We're far along now and will hopefully wrap it up in the next couple days.<br />
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All this is to say that I somewhat anticipated sabbatical to be a bit more readily apparent with vast swaths of free time to work on <u>me</u> projects. There are a few areas of study that I need to make a plan for, and then carve out and execute on that time squarely among the needs presented in renting a house abroad, parenting an energetic fournado, and all the daily life maintenance needs. That said my long wait for Game of Thrones season 6 is over. I signed up for HBO Now yesterday and binged through the first six episodes. I'm ready for Sunday's epic finale.<br />
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Adam Aronsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13730122219739057099noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5460531.post-42960987522500153542017-08-04T13:51:00.000-04:002017-08-04T13:51:23.314-04:00The Fournado is Real<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">About a month back I thought... Willa is vacillating between having an amazing time and struggling to adjust. It's hot, there are lots of bugs, and so much is different than she's used to. That said she's had huge breakthroughs in the pool in early July, and that is her happy place. We're getting fruit smoothies everywhere we go, and we're trying to be sure and address her needs constructively; although, sometimes we've just needed to put our foot down and tell her she's being a diva and suck it up. It's been a very interesting chapter in the process.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">Today, along with a parent friend, I went to school and sunk some lemongrass plants in the play yard. There are tons of mosquitos, and Willa, nearly as much the target as I am, is still coming home with bites regularly. One <i>potential</i> remedy is to plant lemongrass, which mosquitos apparently don't like so much, and try to keep them at bay. </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">Willa has been my planting helper all along back in Brooklyn and wherever the occasion arises. </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">I'm at school and helping get this planting underway, and s</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">he has glommed onto my leg, and there is no letting go. </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">We're moving from spot to spot, and Willa is constantly underfoot. "I want to help you with [</span><i style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">this</i><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">]</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">... I want to help you with [</span><i style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">that</i><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">]" </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">We sink one plant, and then we're working on the next plant, and I explain one of her classmates is to have a turn putting a plant in the ground, and at the risk of destroying the plant Willa will not let go of it. I do let go impressing a big mud stain across the front of her dress. It's hot, she's muddy, she's a crying mess, and I cannot get the plant out of her clutching hands. Prying the plant away from her we have to step aside to talk and calm down. Now we're both out of sorts, and I punish her by taking away pool time this afternoon. We have had to lose pool time or TV show time on a few occasions because of run-ins like these. </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">Trying to leave school after the planting successfully completed she was a hot mess and would not let go. She explained she was tired and had to go home; well, this is an often refrain should either Marla or I see her at a school function anytime between drop off and pick up: "I'm tired", "I'm sick", "I don't want to be here." The teachers are super cool and helpful, and they often step in to lure Willa away bringing her attention elsewhere. </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">This is probably just four more than I am being a bad parent. I am not as quiet as feel like I should be. The heat doesn't help keep my temper down. My A-type and things needing to be repeated time and again and resulting in snotty bubbling emotional messes is not an easy place for either of us to end up. It's not nice once you arrive there; it's not easy to diffuse, and it's not so easy to just stand up and carry on. Willa's former teacher shared an excellent list of </span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;"><a href="http://www.yummymummyclub.ca/blogs/andrea-nair-connect-four-parenting/20150303/stop-tantrums-in-three-and-four-year-olds" target="_blank">32 Tantrum-Tamer Phrases to Use With 3 and 4 Year-Olds in Meltdown Mode</a>. Marla and I talk about these situations when we've calmed toward the end of the day and gird ourselves for another eventful encounter in the near future. It's constant, and I want to help Willa grow, understand and appreciate along the way. She's teaching me when I see myself losing my cool (in more way than one), and that's forcing me to redouble my efforts to be my best self for both of us.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 12.8px;">How do I know it's all going to turn out alright? I wasn't there, but the other day Marla and Willa are walking to school in the morning. Willa points out a bird to Marla and asks, "You know which one that is?" Marla says no and asks whether Willa does. Without skipping a beat Willa explains, "That's the Red Hawker-Nawker, and it's habitat is..." She apparently goes on for several extensive descriptive and imaginary educational vignettes about this fictitiously identified bird. Willa is smart, she's imaginative, and she's creative.</span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 12.8px;">Some days Willa embodies the perfect pura vida, and other days she is mired in her fourness, and some days she rapidly vacillates. So she lost the pool today, and we'll spend some time talking about it while doing other things. Am I doing it right? I certainly hope so. The fournado is real, and she's the sweetest little monster I know. People say they miss this time -- I think they have memory loss. The Red Hawker-Nawker is a keeper for all times.</span></span></div>
Adam Aronsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13730122219739057099noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5460531.post-22722014896428299422017-07-29T16:12:00.001-04:002017-07-29T16:13:36.283-04:00An early take on pura vida<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Pura vida has mostly been a call of pride and mutual agreement that things are pretty alright. Pura vida is the national expression of Costa Rica. It is a way of life. It is how one is doing when you ask, ¿Como esta (how are you)? It is an expression of agreement that life is pretty great here.<br />
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Take for instance after having worked with a real estate broker here for a long while to find a long term rental with a tight profile. He very vigorously identified properties fitting a our specifications, but they didn't quite suit us save one that was great, but it disappeared within a blink; friends of the owners would be taking the place before us. We canvased the area for all brokers working within this town of 1,500 residents, and we found exactly what we were looking for through another party, and it was tough for me to write the message explaining the situation. I felt bad to deliver it in an email, but I had an opportunity to connect with him in person shortly thereafter. Both his response to the email and seeing him in person the affect was the same. Pura Vida. He was glad our family has been able to find exactly the place we needed for the time we are here in Sámara. What a choice notion to affirm life exclaiming, "pura vida."<br />
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Unrelated to the apartment, during my recent mourning period a new friend explained that Costa Rica is a place where cell phones come to die. My language instructor affirmed this after a discussion in class this past week. So, a couple weeks I went out near shore fishing. Everything was spectacular about the entire trip from early rise right up until the final minute of the trip back to shore. We were successful out at sea bringing home some yellow fin tuna, and we split up the catch among the three different parties. When at nearly the last moment the boat to shore skiff came sliding in ashore, and the boat skids up on the rocks turning sideways. Everyone else successfully gets out of the skiff, and I put my leg over the side of the boat at which point it gets shoved broadside by a wave, and I was tossed face first into the shore. My hand and knee took a mild skinning and beating. Worse still my cell phone was in the cargo pocket of my bathing suit. Newly dunked I immediately sprang into action tossing the phone. My new buddy graciously and selflessly began hooving water off the device and wiping it down.<br />
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Time goes by and alas the phone is dead. Like dead dead. Like there's a single red light blink if you attempt to power up the device. I'm fairly sure I'm singlehandedly responsible for assassinating my phone with an electric surge before it was fully dry and ready for such an encounter. Well, much time gone by and energy spent a new phone will make it to me with about a month's long gap in between.<br />
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Back up a week or two before the phone's death, and I was shocked to find myself here and spending as much time as I did on the couch making sure I traversed every corner of my old internet stomping grounds. And, as it turns out that is a lot of information. My phone was also quite handy for walking around with as it has the local data plan making it easy to stay in touch for our family and explore new towns, etc. However, did we HAVE to have this up to the minute access? No. Pura vida. Could the death of my phone be cause for exclaiming, "pura vida"? Yes, in fact it is.<br />
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Without constantly reaching for my phone I have been reaching for my book. I finished a great one, Neal Stephenson's The Diamond Age or a Young Lady's Illustrated Primer. And, then I moved onto the next book in my pile.<br />
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Not to be outdone with the downside of pura vida I had to pause writing this story at home, which I'm doing because the internet has been down for four days (pura vida). I had to pause because Willa killed the iPad. She wanted to give me a hug while watching her show, and with the cord sufficiently wrapped around her waist she dragged the device off the coffee table and the screen cracked into a million shards making the iPad dangerously unusable. Pura vida.<br />
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Before we left Marla and I discussed what this year would be for us, what we wanted for Willa and overall how would this time would change our family. Well, the resiliency we discussed and agreed would be very beneficial for all of us is being served up daily. Things are different here in a great way, and we are beginning to embrace all the amazingness and all the challenges that pura vida has to offer.</div>
Adam Aronsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13730122219739057099noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5460531.post-87450427227656327032017-07-06T09:44:00.001-04:002017-07-06T09:44:33.991-04:00When it feels right<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Back in January/February Marla and I sat and had lengthy deliberative discussions about what was next for us. We had settled on Toronto as a great place for our family to live. That would be at the start time for Willa heading into primary school, Fall 2018, and there was the matter of what should we do now, right now? What would be best for our family.<br />
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Sabbatical made a lot of sense to us as we're waiting for my permanent residency paperwork, which has a natural course of action. Costa Rica appealed to us for many reasons. We had previously travelled here and loved the whole experience. Ticos are wonderful, kind and easy going people; they embody their Pura Vida ethos. As two relatively wound up people that would do us good. Then there's the 77-87º F weather -- with a shower in the afternoon half the year -- every day. Add to that a tranquilo beach town with good beginner surfing, yoga on the beach and a great bi-lingual pre-school. It all was too hard to drown out the chorus of resounding "yes" or "claro que sí".<br />
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Fast forward through lots of planning, a little bit of preparatory shopping, and a lot of good-byes, a taxi, a flight, and another taxi, and we arrived last Wednesday. Key to comfort here are cross breezes through the house, and as such we had the front door open wide with the screen door offering fresh air. Shortly after dark a neighborhood cat sidled up to the screen door to see who had come into town. Willa being quite tired and road weary launches into sympathetic pleas of "But where is he gonna sleep?" & "He's so lonely." She repeated these alternating inquiries and pleas in the sweetest and most innocent way that only a four year old girl can.<br />
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I suspect the cat understood Willa because over the following few days we received multiple presents. Walking out the front door Marla shrieked. She had squished the first present not having noticed the cat had left us a dead something; we couldn't identify it after nearly all of Marla's foot had descended; although, I did see a tail and some guts still on the mat, and I had to scrape the bulk off the underside of her foot with a paper towel. We all get clean, I wash the welcome mat, and a day later we come back from an outing to see this lizard curled up in the mat. Dad is definitely getting the unceremonious responsibility of cat gift disposal. You know you're not in Brooklyn when...<br />
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We are still settling in, and we were keeping a close eye on Willa's reaction to our new world. It has been a flurry of new, different, and exciting. It has all been the adventure we anticipated, and it all feels right so far. Willa's school is on the same two week break as the rest of the nation, and it's giving us plenty of time to figure things out together.</div>
Adam Aronsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13730122219739057099noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5460531.post-31521124462958272982017-07-01T10:05:00.001-04:002017-07-01T10:17:56.659-04:00My first taste of the ocean<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Over the past many months I have been settling up our affairs in New York. We made the decision to pack up and head to Costa Rica in February, and this past Wednesday we arrived. There were lots of ins and outs to the whole transition. We had a long arc of goodbyes to our family and friends and to our city of 20 years.<br />
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Most everything went off without a hitch, but of course I can be silly sometimes. I had to have one more urgent care visit before leaving. After having settled up in Brooklyn we headed to Scarsdale, NY to spend a week with family. We went to the local pool, and not 15 minutes in I attempted a few breast strokes with my eyes closed -- my new goggles were arriving the next day. Several strokes in I veered off course a bit, and I banged my head into a ladder. Reportedly, eight staples at urgent care sealed the cut, and worse it donned on me that I couldn't jump in the ocean immediately upon arriving in Costa Rica. Irritatingly, I continue to have my fair share of accidents, but I got my feet in on the first day nevertheless. Marla, importantly, took that first day Pacific plunge and came back glowing. We have made a great decision for our family. Willa is a whole other matter, and we're still inching her into the water; on Wednesday she would have none of it.<br />
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Needless to say there was a bunch of conversation about my staples before departing. Should they come out early before I leave? Would I be able to get them out in a small town? Sámara only has about 4,000 residents. Answer turns out to be yes, there's a clinic run by <a href="http://isamara.co/drsoto/index.htm" target="_blank">Dr. Freddy Soto</a>, and he indeed has a staple remover. Cool, we're good to go staples and all. They didn't set off the metal detector at JFK, but I had the visit notes handy just in case.<br />
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Yesterday was to be staple removal day, and I couldn't wait. First though we joined Willa's new school, <a href="http://samarapacificschool.org/" target="_blank">Sámara Pacific School</a>, on their beach day. The trip celebrated the school year half way point. Costa Rica's school calendar runs year round with about 210 days in session. This was a great opportunity for Willa to begin her new school introduction, meeting the other students and playing at the beach. Of course the ocean was looming, and not even the enticement of a fellow girl who went dashing into ankle deep water was enough to get Willa there. She did stick her toes in, which was a marked improvement over the two prior days.<br />
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At the beach picnic Marla and I were introducing ourselves and meeting lots of parents. Many have been here for a while, some were here only weeks before us, and some were leaving the following day. As it happens, Brian and his family were departing the next day after a three and a half year stay. Brian had lots of great suggestions for settling in, turns out they had two bikes to sell, and to boot he's an ER doctor with a pair of staple removers back at his house. After the beach party we went back to their house where he deftly removed my staples, and moments later we bought they bikes. Nice how that turned out.<br />
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During the past week I had fretted quite a bit about the staple removal, and I had discussed at the urgent care getting a staple remover to bring with me, I had seen my internist before leaving and discussed it with her. Marla and I and many family members had all discussed it extensively. I had contemplated how the tools would need to be sterile, and what would I do if they weren't; would I say something? In the end I sat at new acquaintance's poolside table. He pulled a pair of staple removers from a bag with lots of other tools, and he proceeded to pull out seven staples. The urgent care doctor said there were eight, so Dr. Brian and two onlookers all combed through my head with beach hands and scanned for the never applied eighth staple. This is not how I imagined the scene was going to go down.<br />
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After all that I was walking the small lane between our house and the beach, and I saw an email from a friend. There was change back in New York, which related to everything that set our family's adventure in motion, and it brought a huge smile to my face. With that I dropped off Willa's beach toys, which I had been retrieving, took off my shirt, pitched my flip flops and walked into the ocean.<br />
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Adam Aronsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13730122219739057099noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5460531.post-5990889310138104542017-06-29T09:28:00.001-04:002017-06-29T09:28:47.600-04:00Llegado a Sámara<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
We arrived in Sámara yesterday. Our family has committed to a significant shift for the next many years. First, we're planning about a year in Costa Rica then onto Toronto. We are seeking adventure, a deeper connection with nature and ourselves and helping our daughter build a lifetime of resiliency. One evening in so far the only falter on our trip was a failure to find Soda Ana, but that may be because I didn't hear correctly and we ended up eating at the correct place anyway, Soda El Mana. I found the casado con pescado that I had been salivating about for months.<br />
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Yesterday's drive from Liberia to Sámara was filled with lush greens, a spot of rain and a great conversation with our driver, Ellios to start our live understanding of what is here and happening. Countless hours of online research and digging into forums has given us a fair understanding of what to expect, but you always learn at lightening speed with feet on the ground. Time to explore.<br />
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Adam Aronsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13730122219739057099noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5460531.post-49035630893302326382012-12-10T07:24:00.002-05:002012-12-10T07:39:48.960-05:00The House I Live (since the drug war still exists)<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Eugene Jarecki's <a href="http://bit.ly/YR3Spo" target="_blank">The House I Live In</a> powerfully exposes disillusionment from the long waged war on drugs. What's more the exposure is from the story's everyday key actors: cops, judges, and prison guards. What's more the pain is not monopolized by the families and inmates, the key actors note the system's shortcomings. 40 years and a TRILLION (twelve zeros) dollars later, the US has 5% of the world's population and 25% of the world's incarcerated people. The are untenable realities.<br />
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I find it confounding, and perhaps it's because I've been studying the prison industrial complex as an activist that people can be unaware that there is still a war on drugs. Do yourself a favor and perform a quick google search on "<a href="http://bit.ly/YR4Odf" target="_blank">war on drugs</a>". There are links to US government site, headlines from CNN and Huffington Post decrying it's a failure, and so much more. You probably won't get into the parts about how the multitude of policing organizations get to keep the cash and goods from seizures or the part about systematic racism. For the details may want to look at Christian Parenti's <a href="http://bit.ly/YR5gbv" target="_blank">Lockdown America</a> or Michelle Alexander's <a href="http://bit.ly/YR5mQh" target="_blank">The New Jim Crow: Mass Incarceration in the Age of Colorblindness</a>.</div>
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All is not nigh, there is a change in the tides, and Americans are actively organizing to bring about systemic change in the war on drugs. The current battleground is marijuana legalization where not only are states expressing their right to self-govern such as in Colorado and Washington, but also nationally <a href="http://nyti.ms/YR5ZcK" target="_blank">folks are also in favor the federal government not intervening in these practices</a>. Time will tell whether the veneer of the war of drugs is fading and we witness a contraction in the abhorrent prison system.</div>
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Can you imagine a world where more money is spent on prisons than education? Look no further than <a href="http://huff.to/YR6DqI" target="_blank">California where state prison spending outstripped higher education</a>. As someone that has worked on and advocated for educational access for the better part of a decade I am dumbstruck that we could let this happen anywhere in the world let alone in our country. Aren't we the land of the free? Home of the brave? Home of the free-market is where I am ashamed my <a href="http://bit.ly/YR7pnu" target="_blank">Wells Fargo mortgage means that my banking is helping invest in the future of private prisons</a>. How could it turn out that the American Dream I have ended up living can be no more easily disentangled than all the leverage that ultimately brought down Bear Stearns? Where do I begin to improve upon where I find the world today?</div>
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One way I have been helping make a difference is by volunteering with the <a href="http://bit.ly/EIOCoalition" target="_blank">Education from the Inside Out Coalition (EIO)</a>. We're advocating for educational access inside the prison system. That's where 2.3 Million people, who are by-in-large are undereducated and face serious challenges to re-enter society prepared to be contributing members. </div>
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If you agree with these ideas, your help is needed. Take action through the following organizations, and spread the word:</div>
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<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li>Fight the war on drugs through <a href="http://bit.ly/VyrgQB" target="_blank">Drug Policy Alliance</a> actions</li>
<li>Help re-introduce Pell grants to the incarcerated through <a href="http://chn.ge/EIOPell" target="_blank">Education From Inside Out</a>'s action</li>
<li><a href="http://bit.ly/YR3Spo" target="_blank">The House I Live In website</a> is chock full of resources specific to your zip code as well</li>
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Feel free to list out additional resources in the comments section; I will gladly update this post.</div>
Adam Aronsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13730122219739057099noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5460531.post-17261911500180606222012-11-06T13:24:00.003-05:002012-11-06T13:24:16.999-05:00Some thoughts on today's election...<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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I waited for three hours. When I got the front of the line, I told them who I was, cast my vote, and it was counted.<br />
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I am tired of this election. I am tired of the billions of wasted dollars trying to inform low information voters with sound bites. I want change. Not "change that I can believe in". I want M-F'ng change. I want an informed and involved populous.<br />
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I want people to be as educated as they care to be - for free (it's an investment with LOTS of dividends). I want people that are prepared for the workforce (there are 3M jobs waiting for the right people to fill them, TODAY!). I want people to have healthcare for an extremely high quality of life (it's not Obamacare -- it's healthcare and we're all better off with it).<br />
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I want to stop locking up our people at a despicable rate. I want soft drugs legalized. I want people that have problems with drugs to receive treatment, not incarceration.<br />
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I am working on all the above problems to make the world I want to live in. Help me make that a reality or do your best to convince me why I may be off base -- I don't have all the answers, but I'm not waiting for corporations or anyone else to tell me what I need.<br />
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I am proud to have the right to cast my vote. I don't have the money to pay for lobbyists and buy the policies I desire. I am reliant on democracy and the voice of my fellow citizens. I expect my representatives to represent everything I have stated above, and I will work to hold them accountable for my vote.<br />
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Adam Aronsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13730122219739057099noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5460531.post-32824205240065300782012-10-22T13:59:00.001-04:002012-10-22T14:01:01.534-04:00edX initial impressions<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<img alt="" src="https://www.edx.org/static/images/header-logo.png" title="edX Logo" />For the past several weeks I have been participating in the <a href="http://bit.ly/Nr6saC" target="_blank">6.00x Intro to Comp Sci and Programming</a> class provided by MIT through the collaborative edX effort. It has been really great. Their syllabus states the course requires approximately 12 hours of effort, and unfortunately, it's not too far afield. The structure is very clean, and nicely everywhere I'm encountering difficulties the discussion forums are often well populated with feedback on similar if not exactly the same issues. The learning curve has been steep both getting into Python for the first time and recalling math that I haven't used in 3-10 years.</div>
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This course is not the only reason there are a paucity of posts for 2012, but it's a current contributing factor. My hope is that with some added skills I'll be able to begin prototyping some ideas we've been kicking around the house.</div>
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Adam Aronsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13730122219739057099noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5460531.post-80237665026257707372012-02-23T08:05:00.000-05:002012-02-23T08:08:18.836-05:00<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
For the last several months I have been studying the criminal justice system with a particular lens of education available in the prisons. The argument is simple: the more education inmates attain, the less likely they are to be re-incarcerated. I am interested in the immediate restoration of Pell Grants and all other opportunities for education in the prisons. Below is a list of organizations I have come across in my research. If you have suggestions of other organizations that should be added, please reach out.<br />
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<b id="internal-source-marker_0.39543769392184913" style="text-align: -webkit-auto;"></b><br />
<ul>
<li style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; list-style-type: disc; vertical-align: baseline;"><span id="internal-source-marker_0.39543769392184913" style="text-align: -webkit-auto;"><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Prison Education & College Programs</span></span></li>
<ul>
<li style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; list-style-type: circle; vertical-align: baseline;"><span id="internal-source-marker_0.39543769392184913" style="text-align: -webkit-auto;"><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">California</span></span></li>
<ul>
<li style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; list-style-type: square; vertical-align: baseline;"><span id="internal-source-marker_0.39543769392184913" style="text-align: -webkit-auto;"><a href="http://www.prisonuniversityproject.org/"><span style="color: #1155cc; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Prison University Program</span></a><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> (San Quentin)</span></span></li>
<li style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; list-style-type: square; vertical-align: baseline;"><span id="internal-source-marker_0.39543769392184913" style="text-align: -webkit-auto;"><a href="http://prisoneducationproject.org/"><span style="color: #1155cc; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Prison Education Project</span></a><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> (Chino)</span></span></li>
</ul>
<li style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; list-style-type: circle; vertical-align: baseline;"><span id="internal-source-marker_0.39543769392184913" style="text-align: -webkit-auto;"><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Connecticut</span></span></li>
<ul>
<li style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; list-style-type: square; vertical-align: baseline;"><span id="internal-source-marker_0.39543769392184913" style="text-align: -webkit-auto;"><a href="http://www.wesleyan.edu/cpe/"><span style="color: #1155cc; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Wesleyan - Center for Prison Education</span></a><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></span></li>
<ul>
<li style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; list-style-type: disc; vertical-align: baseline;"><span id="internal-source-marker_0.39543769392184913" style="text-align: -webkit-auto;"><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Member of the Consortium for the Liberal Arts in Prison</span></span></li>
</ul>
</ul>
<li style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; list-style-type: circle; vertical-align: baseline;"><span id="internal-source-marker_0.39543769392184913" style="text-align: -webkit-auto;"><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Iowa</span></span></li>
<ul>
<li style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; list-style-type: square; vertical-align: baseline;"><span id="internal-source-marker_0.39543769392184913" style="text-align: -webkit-auto;"><a href="http://www.grinnell.edu/academic/prisonprogram"><span style="color: #1155cc; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Grinnell - Liberal Arts in Prison</span></a><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></span></li>
<ul>
<li style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; list-style-type: disc; vertical-align: baseline;"><span id="internal-source-marker_0.39543769392184913" style="text-align: -webkit-auto;"><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Member of the Consortium for the Liberal Arts in Prison</span></span></li>
</ul>
</ul>
<li style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; list-style-type: circle; vertical-align: baseline;"><span id="internal-source-marker_0.39543769392184913" style="text-align: -webkit-auto;"><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Missouri</span></span></li>
<ul>
<li style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; list-style-type: square; vertical-align: baseline;"><span id="internal-source-marker_0.39543769392184913" style="text-align: -webkit-auto;"><a href="http://www.slu.edu/x49684.xml"><span style="color: #1155cc; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">St. Louis University Prison Program</span></a><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></span></li>
</ul>
<li style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; list-style-type: circle; vertical-align: baseline;"><span id="internal-source-marker_0.39543769392184913" style="text-align: -webkit-auto;"><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">New York</span></span></li>
<ul>
<li style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; list-style-type: square; vertical-align: baseline;"><span id="internal-source-marker_0.39543769392184913" style="text-align: -webkit-auto;"><a href="http://bpi.bard.edu/"><span style="color: #1155cc; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Bard Prison Initiative</span></a><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></span></li>
<ul>
<li style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; list-style-type: disc; vertical-align: baseline;"><span id="internal-source-marker_0.39543769392184913" style="text-align: -webkit-auto;"><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Member of the Consortium for the Liberal Arts in Prison</span></span></li>
</ul>
<li style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; list-style-type: square; vertical-align: baseline;"><span id="internal-source-marker_0.39543769392184913" style="text-align: -webkit-auto;"><a href="http://www.bcc.cuny.edu/futurenow/"><span style="color: #1155cc; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Future Now at Bronx Community College</span></a><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></span></li>
<li style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; list-style-type: square; vertical-align: baseline;"><span id="internal-source-marker_0.39543769392184913" style="text-align: -webkit-auto;"><a href="http://www.hudsonlink.org/joomla/index.php"><span style="color: #1155cc; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Hudson Link for Higher Education</span></a><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> (Sing Sing)</span></span></li>
</ul>
</ul>
</ul>
<ul>
<li style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; list-style-type: circle; vertical-align: baseline;"><span id="internal-source-marker_0.39543769392184913" style="text-align: -webkit-auto;"><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Oregon</span></span></li>
<ul>
<li style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; list-style-type: square; vertical-align: baseline;"><span id="internal-source-marker_0.39543769392184913" style="text-align: -webkit-auto;"><a href="http://www.mercycorpsnw.org/what-we-do/life-prison-curriculum/"><span style="color: #1155cc; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">LIFE (Lifelong Information for Entrepreneurs)</span></a><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> (Coffee Creek, Oregon)</span></span></li>
<ul>
<li style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; list-style-type: disc; vertical-align: baseline;"><span id="internal-source-marker_0.39543769392184913" style="text-align: -webkit-auto;"><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The LIFE program addresses self-employment and microenterprise development after release for women prisoners.</span></span></li>
</ul>
</ul>
<li style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; list-style-type: circle; vertical-align: baseline;"><span id="internal-source-marker_0.39543769392184913" style="text-align: -webkit-auto;"><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Washington</span></span></li>
<ul>
<li style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; list-style-type: square; vertical-align: baseline;"><span id="internal-source-marker_0.39543769392184913" style="text-align: -webkit-auto;"><a href="http://blogs.evergreen.edu/sustainableprisons/"><span style="color: #1155cc; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Evergreen State's program</span></a><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></span></li>
</ul>
<li style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; list-style-type: circle; vertical-align: baseline;"><span id="internal-source-marker_0.39543769392184913" style="text-align: -webkit-auto;"><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">International</span></span></li>
<ul>
<li style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; list-style-type: square; vertical-align: baseline;"><span id="internal-source-marker_0.39543769392184913" style="text-align: -webkit-auto;"><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Britain: </span><a href="http://www.prisonerseducation.org.uk/"><span style="background-color: white; color: #005689; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Prisoners' Education Trust</span></a><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> (PET) via </span><a href="http://www.prisonerseducation.org.uk/index.php?id=190"><span style="background-color: white; color: #005689; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Virtual Campus</span></a><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></span></li>
</ul>
</ul>
<ul>
<li style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; list-style-type: disc; vertical-align: baseline;"><span id="internal-source-marker_0.39543769392184913" style="text-align: -webkit-auto;"><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Prison Education Associations</span></span></li>
<ul>
<li style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; list-style-type: circle; vertical-align: baseline;"><span id="internal-source-marker_0.39543769392184913" style="text-align: -webkit-auto;"><a href="http://www.ceanational.org/index2.htm"><span style="color: #1155cc; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Correctional Education Association (CEA)</span></a><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></span></li>
<li style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; list-style-type: circle; vertical-align: baseline;"><span id="internal-source-marker_0.39543769392184913" style="text-align: -webkit-auto;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/European_Prison_Education_Association"><span style="color: #000099; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">European Prison Education Association</span></a><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></span></li>
<ul>
<li style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; list-style-type: square; vertical-align: baseline;"><span id="internal-source-marker_0.39543769392184913" style="text-align: -webkit-auto;"><a href="http://www.epea.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=53&Itemid=66"><span style="color: #000099; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">EPEA Principle Statement</span></a><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></span></li>
</ul>
</ul>
<li style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; list-style-type: disc; vertical-align: baseline;"><span id="internal-source-marker_0.39543769392184913" style="text-align: -webkit-auto;"><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Reentry:</span></span></li>
<ul>
<li style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; list-style-type: circle; vertical-align: baseline;"><span id="internal-source-marker_0.39543769392184913" style="text-align: -webkit-auto;"><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">National</span></span></li>
<ul>
<li style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; list-style-type: square; vertical-align: baseline;"><span id="internal-source-marker_0.39543769392184913" style="text-align: -webkit-auto;"><a href="http://www.reentry.net/"><span style="color: #1155cc; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Reentry Netwo</span></a><a href="http://www.reentry.net/ny/"><span style="color: #1155cc; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">rk</span></a><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></span></li>
</ul>
<li style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; list-style-type: circle; vertical-align: baseline;"><span id="internal-source-marker_0.39543769392184913" style="text-align: -webkit-auto;"><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">New York</span></span></li>
<ul>
<li style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; list-style-type: square; vertical-align: baseline;"><span id="internal-source-marker_0.39543769392184913" style="text-align: -webkit-auto;"><a href="http://www.cases.org/"><span style="color: #1155cc; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Cases</span></a><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></span></li>
<ul>
<li style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; list-style-type: disc; vertical-align: baseline;"><span id="internal-source-marker_0.39543769392184913" style="text-align: -webkit-auto;"><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">New York City's courts are the front door to CASES programs. Our legal staff maintains a presence in courtrooms citywide. We work with judges, district attorneys, defense lawyers, legal advocates, the NYC Department of Probation and the NYS Division of Parole to identify individuals appropriate for our programs and we advocate for their supervision by CASES. CASES court representatives report frequently to judges and other criminal justice stakeholders on our participants' progress towards the fulfillment of their legal obligations.</span></span></li>
</ul>
<li style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; list-style-type: square; vertical-align: baseline;"><span id="internal-source-marker_0.39543769392184913" style="text-align: -webkit-auto;"><a href="http://www.collegeandcommunity.org/"><span style="color: #1155cc; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">College and Community Fellowship</span></a><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></span></li>
<ul>
<li style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; list-style-type: disc; vertical-align: baseline;"><span id="internal-source-marker_0.39543769392184913" style="text-align: -webkit-auto;"><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">College and Community Fellowship (CCF) is unique among organizations aimed at helping people reclaim their lives after criminal conviction. Many programs try to address the basic needs of people returning to the community after conviction and prison, but only CCF guides them through the stages of higher education while promoting their leadership, self-advocacy, artistic expression, civic participation and long term economic security. We see beyond reentry. We see limitless possibilities for our participants, their families and their communities. We expect what others deem impossible and the results are incredible!</span></span></li>
</ul>
<li style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; list-style-type: square; vertical-align: baseline;"><span id="internal-source-marker_0.39543769392184913" style="text-align: -webkit-auto;"><a href="http://www.collegeinitiative.org/ci2/"><span style="color: #1155cc; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">College Initiatives</span></a><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></span></li>
<ul>
<li style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; list-style-type: disc; vertical-align: baseline;"><span id="internal-source-marker_0.39543769392184913" style="text-align: -webkit-auto;"><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Our mission is to create pathways from criminal justice involvement to college and beyond and to establish and support communities invested in their own success.</span></span></li>
</ul>
<li style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; list-style-type: square; vertical-align: baseline;"><span id="internal-source-marker_0.39543769392184913" style="text-align: -webkit-auto;"><a href="http://fortunesociety.org/"><span style="color: #1155cc; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Fortune Society</span></a><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></span></li>
<ul>
<li style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; list-style-type: disc; vertical-align: baseline;"><span id="internal-source-marker_0.39543769392184913" style="text-align: -webkit-auto;"><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The Fortune Society is a nonprofit social service and advocacy organization, founded in 1967, whose mission is to support successful reentry from prison and promote alternatives to incarceration, thus strengthening the fabric of our communities.</span></span></li>
</ul>
<li style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; list-style-type: square; vertical-align: baseline;"><span id="internal-source-marker_0.39543769392184913" style="text-align: -webkit-auto;"><a href="http://www.osborneny.org/"><span style="color: #1155cc; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Osborne Foundation</span></a><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></span></li>
<ul>
<li style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; list-style-type: disc; vertical-align: baseline;"><span id="internal-source-marker_0.39543769392184913" style="text-align: -webkit-auto;"><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">We offer opportunities for reform and rehabilitation through public education, advocacy, and alternatives to incarceration that respect the dignity of people.</span></span></li>
</ul>
<li style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; list-style-type: square; vertical-align: baseline;"><span id="internal-source-marker_0.39543769392184913" style="text-align: -webkit-auto;"><a href="http://www.gosonyc.org/HomePage.php"><span style="color: #1155cc; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Getting out and Staying Out</span></a><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></span></li>
</ul>
<li style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; list-style-type: circle; vertical-align: baseline;"><span id="internal-source-marker_0.39543769392184913" style="text-align: -webkit-auto;"><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Washington</span></span></li>
<ul>
<li style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; list-style-type: square; vertical-align: baseline;"><span id="internal-source-marker_0.39543769392184913" style="text-align: -webkit-auto;"><a href="http://postprisonedu.org/"><span style="color: #1155cc; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Post Prison Program</span></a><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></span></li>
</ul>
<li style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; list-style-type: circle; vertical-align: baseline;"><span id="internal-source-marker_0.39543769392184913" style="text-align: -webkit-auto;"><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Washington, DC</span></span></li>
<ul>
<li style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; list-style-type: square; vertical-align: baseline;"><span id="internal-source-marker_0.39543769392184913" style="text-align: -webkit-auto;"><a href="http://thereentrynetworkdc.wordpress.com/"><span style="color: #1155cc; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The Reentry Network</span></a><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></span></li>
</ul>
</ul>
<li style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; list-style-type: disc; vertical-align: baseline;"><span id="internal-source-marker_0.39543769392184913" style="text-align: -webkit-auto;"><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Juvenile Programs:</span></span></li>
<ul>
<li style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; list-style-type: circle; vertical-align: baseline;"><span id="internal-source-marker_0.39543769392184913" style="text-align: -webkit-auto;"><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">International:</span></span></li>
<ul>
<li style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; list-style-type: square; vertical-align: baseline;"><span id="internal-source-marker_0.39543769392184913" style="text-align: -webkit-auto;"><a href="http://www.pactprogram.ca/pact/About_Us.html"><span style="color: #000099; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">PACT Urban Peace Program</span></a><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></span></li>
<ul>
<li style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; list-style-type: disc; vertical-align: baseline;"><span id="internal-source-marker_0.39543769392184913" style="text-align: -webkit-auto;"><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The PACT Urban Peace Program is dedicated to helping at-risk youth and building peace and hope in our urban communities in partnership with the courts and schools.</span></span></li>
</ul>
</ul>
</ul>
<li style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; list-style-type: disc; vertical-align: baseline;"><span id="internal-source-marker_0.39543769392184913" style="text-align: -webkit-auto;"><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Legal Aid:</span></span></li>
<ul>
<li style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; list-style-type: circle; vertical-align: baseline;"><span id="internal-source-marker_0.39543769392184913" style="text-align: -webkit-auto;"><a href="http://www.bronxdefenders.org/"><span style="color: #1155cc; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Bronx Defenders</span></a><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></span></li>
</ul>
<li style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; list-style-type: disc; vertical-align: baseline;"><span id="internal-source-marker_0.39543769392184913" style="text-align: -webkit-auto;"><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">MISC </span></span></li>
<ul>
<li style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; list-style-type: circle; vertical-align: baseline;"><span id="internal-source-marker_0.39543769392184913" style="text-align: -webkit-auto;"><a href="http://www.correctionalassociation.org/"><span style="color: #1155cc; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Correctional Association</span></a><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></span></li>
<ul>
<li style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; list-style-type: square; vertical-align: baseline;"><span id="internal-source-marker_0.39543769392184913" style="text-align: -webkit-auto;"><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The Correctional Association of New York is an independent, non-profit organization founded by concerned citizens in 1844 and granted unique authority by the New York State Legislature to inspect prisons and to report its findings and recommendations to the legislature, the public and the press. Through monitoring, research, public education and policy recommendations, the Correctional Association strives to make the administration of justice in New York State more fair, efficient and humane.</span></span></li>
</ul>
<li style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; list-style-type: circle; vertical-align: baseline;"><span id="internal-source-marker_0.39543769392184913" style="text-align: -webkit-auto;"><a href="http://www.criticalresistance.org/"><span style="color: #1155cc; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Critical Resistance</span></a><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></span></li>
<li style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; list-style-type: circle; vertical-align: baseline;"><span id="internal-source-marker_0.39543769392184913" style="text-align: -webkit-auto;"><a href="http://www.pen.org/page.php/prmID/152"><span style="color: #1155cc; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">PEN Writing Assoc - Prison Writing Program</span></a><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></span></li>
<li style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; list-style-type: circle; vertical-align: baseline;"><span id="internal-source-marker_0.39543769392184913" style="text-align: -webkit-auto;"><a href="http://prisonmovement.wordpress.com/"><span style="color: #1155cc; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Prison Reform Movement</span></a><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></span></li>
<li style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; list-style-type: circle; vertical-align: baseline;"><span id="internal-source-marker_0.39543769392184913" style="text-align: -webkit-auto;"><a href="http://womenontherise-worth.org/"><span style="color: #1155cc; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Women on the Rise (WORTH)</span></a><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></span></li>
<ul>
<li style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; list-style-type: square; vertical-align: baseline;"><span id="internal-source-marker_0.39543769392184913" style="text-align: -webkit-auto;"><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">WORTH (Women On the Rise Telling HerStory) is an advocacy/consultant group comprised of currently & formerly incarcerated women, who have the expertise and understanding to engage, navigate and challenge policy and perceptions concerning incarcerated women.</span></span></li>
</ul>
</ul>
</ul>
</div>Adam Aronsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13730122219739057099noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5460531.post-31234531415323773872012-01-04T07:27:00.004-05:002012-01-04T07:45:09.893-05:00<p class="p1">Game night! After another amazing dinner served-up with delightful company, recently, we played an excellent game of <a href="http://bit.ly/w7F9GS">Celebrity</a>. Five of us made our way through a plentiful array of people known previously or now known. Thought I'd share some of their highlights (or at least, who we acted out -- pretty hilariously):</p> <p class="p1"><a href="http://bit.ly/xKilhh">Janet Jackson</a><br /><a href="http://bit.ly/zLWp9y">Andy Rooney<br /></a><a href="http://bit.ly/zEuNIw">Gallagher<br /></a><a href="http://bit.ly/Atkapr">Paris Hilton</a><br /><a href="http://bit.ly/zfmMy3">Joan Collins</a><br /><a href="http://bit.ly/wvrvSu">Alec Baldwin</a><br /><a href="http://bit.ly/xZ0KgV">Cookie Monster</a><br /><a href="http://bit.ly/wKG9m2">Lindsay Lohan</a><br /><a href="http://bit.ly/zh9M9p">Amy Winehouse</a><br /><a href="http://bit.ly/zT8fqL">Lionel Richie</a><br /><a href="http://bit.ly/xxVsIF">Stephan Hawking</a><br /><a href="http://bit.ly/y8V0BH">Ringo Starr</a><br /><a href="http://bit.ly/wa2nya">Mama Cass</a><br /><a href="http://bit.ly/yo1cp6">Madonna</a><br /><a href="http://bit.ly/y4Iuf8">Benny Hill<br /></a><a href="http://bit.ly/yD3edj">Kermit 'the Frog'</a></p>Adam Aronsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13730122219739057099noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5460531.post-27608088587824100142011-11-14T22:43:00.002-05:002011-11-14T22:49:29.977-05:00<p class="p1">Recently, I have been asked by a prospective Stern MBA student about pursuing my degree, and I thought my response may benefit other applicants:</p> <p class="p2"><br /></p> <p class="p1">Prospective Student (PS)> I essentially just wanted to know what your NYU Stern experience was like. I know its a great school so I am more interested in knowing if you have any regrets at all from the school? </p> <p class="p1">Adam Aronson (AA)> I attended the part-time <a href="http://www.stern.nyu.edu/programs-admissions/part-time-mba/index.htm">Langone program</a>, and it was only one of two programs I applied to. I was accepted to both, and NYU was my first choice, and I was thrilled to enter. From that point forward I drew tremendously on the available resources at NYU, especially the Berkley center for <a href="http://www.stern.nyu.edu/experience-stern/about/departments-centers-initiatives/centers-of-research/berkley-center/index.htm">Entrepreneurship</a> and their focus on <a href="http://www.stern.nyu.edu/experience-stern/about/departments-centers-initiatives/centers-of-research/berkley-center/programs/social-entrepreneurship/index.htm">Social Entrepreneurship</a>. </p> <p class="p2"><br /></p> <p class="p1">That being said, I have absolutely no regrets. Often while attending the program people asked if I would recommend they do it as well, and I had three different phases of responses. Through the first half, YES!, from half-way through until a couple months before graduation, I was slogging and said people really needed to want it, and from that point onward, it wholly solidified how amazing the program was and what I had gained from it. Was it tiring? Yes. Was it absolutely worth every minute of it? Yes.</p> <p class="p2"><br /></p> <p class="p1">PS> Anything that you wished was different or done differently by the school? </p> <p class="p1">AA> Nobody has figured out how to expand the day beyond 24 hours, but were that to happen, I would want to do the program again because there were so many opportunities, I was limited by time to participate in the activities I wanted most. There are numerous students clubs on campus, with varying degrees of activity levels, which are student led, then the academic departments themselves also provide great programming. All of this is in addition to the degree's extensive academic offerings. I belonged to the Social Enterprise Association, Technology and New Media, and Strategy and Operations clubs. They all had field trips, brought in industry specific guests, participated in national conferences, and provided resources like job listings to keep members abreast of what was available.</p> <p class="p2"><br /></p> <p class="p1">PS> Also what kinds of opportunities does Stern offer for aspiring Strategy Consultants and Entrepreneurs? </p> <p class="p1">AA> Some of the clubs I mention above are great ways to constantly look past school's walls. In addition there's also a <a href="http://www.stern.nyu.edu/experience-stern/about/departments-centers-initiatives/centers-of-research/berkley-center/programs/social-entrepreneurship/social-venture-competition/index.htm">start-up competition</a> with three different content areas, there's a <a href="http://www.stern.nyu.edu/portal-partners/student-engagement/stern-consulting-corps/index.htm">consulting corps program</a>, which provides short-term consulting teams to external firms , and both areas as well as so many others are available as specializations with extensive course options. Professors very often bring in speakers from the subjects' industries as guest lecturers, and then there's time for Q&A to ask how to get more involved, or what the guest's path had been like to that point giving great first hand exposure.</p> <p class="p2"><br /></p> <p class="p1">PS> Which industry are you in currently? </p> <p class="p1">AA> Professionally, I started in the non-profit world serving in several technical roles for an international development organization. From there I switched into Education with a couple software start-ups. Since September of this year I have been with the College Board working with their Corporate Strategy team. I would not have been prepared for this role without my MBA degree from Stern.</p> <p class="p2"><br /></p> <p class="p1">PS> Did you feel like Stern gave you enough time to explore your career prospects and be sure of your career choice? </p> <p class="p1">AA> I was working full-time and spending 10-20 hours per week attending school, participating in clubs, the start-up competition, and all other life/extracurriculars. Note that this is a very different experience than of a full-time student, where quite often the summer internship parlays into a full-time position the subsequent year. </p> <p class="p2"><br /></p> <p class="p1">Regardless of full-time or part-time Stern has innumerable resources, and you need to make the best use of them that you can. The single greatest lesson I learned while pursuing my MBA was time management. And, beyond the time that you're in the program, the networking and institutional resources around career development are indefinitely available. Managing my career is an ongoing process, and whenever I want to check-in with the NYU community, I know that they're there to support me.</p> <p class="p2"><br /></p> <p class="p2"><br /></p>Adam Aronsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13730122219739057099noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5460531.post-56982518964403549362011-02-09T19:20:00.004-05:002011-03-25T00:02:49.101-04:00Talking with my grandfather always brings the biggest smile to my face. At times I've gotten a little carried away with his '-isms', but when he's just so awesome, it's hard not to. In our conversation just now he shared:<br /><div style="text-align: center;">If you're going to race with me, and I don't win, </div><div style="text-align: center;">you're going to break the record.<br /><div style="text-align: left;">That's coming from a genuine sense he's giving his efforts the most, and he always does it gracefully. I am working on both the former and the latter. I should be so lucky to get where he is, when I catch up to his age fifty-six years from now.<br /></div></div>Adam Aronsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13730122219739057099noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5460531.post-2437647574642789792011-01-26T07:48:00.004-05:002011-01-26T08:14:10.855-05:00<p class="x_MsoNormal"><span style=";font-family:";font-size:10pt;" ></span></p>My recent trip to India was intense. Our <a href="http://bit.ly/hrqAmT">NYU ISIS</a> project was not successful. We told our client ultimately that our engagement had failed, and we are re-evaluating future deliverables. Beyond that the internet at my hotel went down 2-6+ times per day, and I had a hard time keeping up with everything going on back in New York. Resigning myself to circumstances that couldn't be successfully mitigated, I focused on enjoying Bangalore and my classmates. It was a very different India than when I had traveled without an agenda back in 2003. <a href="http://bit.ly/fI8er4">Youtube Videos</a> & <a href="http://bit.ly/fSD2wZ">Picasa Album</a>. What follows is a post-trip evaluation for the coursework.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(204, 204, 204); font-style: italic;">Specifically, what did you like most about your overall experience in India (including your overall time in India and immersion in the culture, interaction with partners and their stakeholders, team members, site visits, etc)?</span><br /> The most enjoyable component of our visit hands down was our discussions with the three Indian Institute of Management, Bangalore (IIMB) professors, and by far and away professor Sourav Mukherji was the most enlightening. It was fascinating to hear how social enterprise is attaining a foothold in India. His research and colleagues are focused on the central problems of social change enhanced through entrepreneurial endeavors.<br /> During our consultation with our client we heard very little emphasis about the work’s positive social value. Our client was focused on the engineering and entrepreneurial components of the work. Understandably, they were not in a place to focus on the social aspect because they didn’t, yet, have a successful business model. Perhaps that will come in time. <br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(204, 204, 204); font-style: italic;">On the other hand, what did you like least?</span><br /> Our team struggled with our client since nearly the time we had been assigned in November. Communication was probably the biggest shortcoming of the engagement. We did not have a sustained rhythm at any point; prior to the onsite component, at one point, our team had agreed to request to be re-assigned to another entrepreneur; coincidentally, at that exact moment, one of our better communication intervals began, which led to some hope on our part that we were turning a corner. Not only had we failed to turn a corner, we were in for an even bigger challenge, which was lack of focus. We failed establish and maintain a cohesive scope for the duration. In fact the scope of the engagement changed nearly six times in the period leading up to and during the two-week onsite visit. Ultimately, we had to quit our client because it was not a valuable use of our time switching from broad strategic problems with thoroughly uncorroborated information to last minute problems such as tactical business model development.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(204, 204, 204); font-style: italic;">In what ways did the experiential project-based work augment your previous knowledge, education, and experience? </span><br /> From the outset our project was appealing to learn more about energy production; our client’s focus on biomethanol gas and fertilizer production was completely new to me, and the prospect of converting waste, generating power, and providing fertilizer to create more food is an elegant closed-loop system. Much of our first week onsite was spent pouring over material on how this process works, learning about the engineering principles of the biogas plant itself, and then trying to understand the Indian context and how this might work as a business concept. Interestingly, most people we people we spoke with in India regarding this concept not least our entrepreneurs were focused on whether it was a sustainable business model. Social enterprise is by no means pervasive in India, more specifically Bangalore, more specifically the people we interacted with. Only about 5% (or an actual 1 in 20 outside of those involved with ISIS) had a similar appreciation for the possibilities social enterprise could offer for the booming growth India is currently undergoing.<br /> To a certain degree I became further aware of the opportunities and challenges Bangalore is facing. With my sick time I read quite a lot of newspapers and there were several features reviewing the city’s shortcomings to fuel unlimited growth. Infrastructure is amongst the biggest challenges, as anyone that has sat in gridlock traffic would know. Ideally, the impending the open of the first metro tracks within six months will aid in alleviating some of the burden. Hopefully, that will not be a signal to all that have been holding off on an automotive purchase to dive in. If I recall correctly the city had several million two-wheelers as it is. Coincidentally, when I was in Delhi back in 2003-4, they were closing in on the launch of the subway there as well. Had it been open, I would have gladly ridden as mass transportation is one my favorite modes of travel; I appreciate the efficiency and loathe sitting on the road breathing exhaust. <br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(204, 204, 204); font-style: italic;">What were the major challenges you faced in India and in working with your India partner? How did you address those challenges?</span><br /> Traction was definitely our biggest challenge. We found developing a consistent story in our project to be exceptionally challenging, and our questioning often prompted changes in direction. The other significant challenge we found with our partner was accessibility. Unfortunately, the direction we chose to pursue relied on a single point of contact that was not regularly available to impart substantial background and context. Given the circumstances we made determinations, which were disregarded after some considerable time or effort had been expended. Following several of these changes in direction during our two-week onsite, we ultimately concluded the engagement with our client. It was by no means the desired outcome; however, at a point it was overly frustrating to establish a foothold in the project. Our team deliberated thoroughly and landed on a decided course of action with all of us aligned.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="color: rgb(204, 204, 204); font-style: italic;">How did the overall experience in India differ from what you originally thought it would be?</span><br /></span> There was far more interruption than I had anticipated. I have often remarked to my colleagues at my software development firm in New York concerning consultants, “I wish I had two weeks to focus on nothing but…” With that time dedicated in this instance, it was totally stop-and-go the entire time. I genuinely wish it had not been that way. As we explained during our last conversation with the client, four MBAs dedicated entirely to their needs for six months with two weeks onsite to do nothing but serve them, and we couldn’t establish a basic project – that was unfortunate.<br /> I didn’t go into the engagement with high expectations; it was not a business environment I knew very much about, so it was hard to say that I was going to do this that or the other. Again, doing this, that, and the other and the other was the challenge. Our team was tasked with creating a Letter of Agreement to state the purpose of the engagement, a defined scope. Perhaps had we completed that exercise we would have stayed the course better than we ultimately managed in the moment, or perhaps it would have just been the stick in the sand that we ran away from the entire time.Adam Aronsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13730122219739057099noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5460531.post-54735393486940377412010-12-28T16:44:00.003-05:002010-12-28T16:54:13.529-05:00There's a great new product that we have at the <a href="http://www.foodcoop.com/">Park Slope Food COOP</a>. It's a chocolate called <a href="http://www.madecasse.com/" target="_blank">Madécasse</a>. It has an awesome history, whereby one of my fellow NYU MBA alumni brought an idea to fruition. There's an annual Social Entrepreneurship competition at school, called the <a href="http://w4.stern.nyu.edu/berkley/bpc.cfm?doc_id=6306" target="_blank">Satter Family Prize</a>, and he and the co-founders have really helped revolutionize chocolate production for an increasing number of villagers in Madagascar. A snippet from the NYU site is below. I was moved by their story, and I'm extremely excited to see their products in the COOP. Additionally, NYU's focus on Social Entrepreneurship and helping incubate ideas such as this one continues to be inspiring.<br />From: <a href="http://w4.stern.nyu.edu/berkley/bpc.cfm?doc_id=100263" target="_blank">http://w4.stern.nyu.edu/<wbr>berkley/bpc.cfm?doc_id=100263</a><br /><br />Founders: Brian McCollum (MBA '07) and co-founders Brett Beach and Tim McCollum<br /><br />Madécasse imports specialty food products grown and manufactured in Madagascar. Focused primarily on goods made from locally grown cocoa and vanilla beans, the group aims to bridge the gap between poverty and potential in emerging markets using Equitrade. A model that builds upon the Fair Trade concept, Equitrade requires both the farming and the manufacturing of products to be completed within the country of origin. Based on market trends showing that consumers are increasingly interested in a product origin and in purchasing goods from ethical and sustainable enterprises, Madécasse distributes their premium chocolate bars and other food products to retail outlets across the US.<p></p>Adam Aronsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13730122219739057099noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5460531.post-47636400445227897892010-11-01T23:50:00.003-04:002010-11-17T18:43:01.044-05:00<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimOz0TD_pPY5HL1-IiiLSt9Sce09BFp1HaAafex-SfixureNrYiFrXja1ysn8m19bDDGYACKToUaqctJd6Y6TmAW3FF4mnB1dhe6BTUSAXyCkfj20gSJ7DVuIkd8UJacc3cucx/s1600/P4C-Logo.jpg"><img style="float: left; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; cursor: pointer; width: 291px; height: 117px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimOz0TD_pPY5HL1-IiiLSt9Sce09BFp1HaAafex-SfixureNrYiFrXja1ysn8m19bDDGYACKToUaqctJd6Y6TmAW3FF4mnB1dhe6BTUSAXyCkfj20gSJ7DVuIkd8UJacc3cucx/s320/P4C-Logo.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5540668251913194498" border="0" /></a>Incredibly excited for the new logo. We're working hard on the Photos for Change launch, and everything is coming together. Jay and Jennifer have been a joy to work with over the past several months. It's nice to have taken an idea from the ground up, again. Having been here several years ago with Jenky Productions, this is a very different experience. It's nice having the background that business school has helped inform over the past several years. The purpose of the business and our goals are a lot clearer. As we look to the business plan competition quarter-final announcements tomorrow, it will be a good indication that there's merit in our idea, and that we're expressing ourselves well.Adam Aronsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13730122219739057099noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5460531.post-38724388350363264492010-10-24T22:40:00.005-04:002010-10-27T07:55:57.664-04:00It's been a lot of fun pursuing the MBA over the past couple years. The time commitment is intense on top of a full day at work, but the effort has introduced me to wonderful classmates and incredible business content. <br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvNuIkRnOHZUcA7dT_HqYI-mnvTgzUsV3tBATYLms5_v8fmlZlkCHANgvIbx9CbpyY2cjQMtl-p57rI9IO8y0vtwejCR1zD7SkPxyXRbWa3VRFaRRwnPmgn2Y2X3MtJFt_7KRj/s1600/Shooting+P4C+Commercial.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvNuIkRnOHZUcA7dT_HqYI-mnvTgzUsV3tBATYLms5_v8fmlZlkCHANgvIbx9CbpyY2cjQMtl-p57rI9IO8y0vtwejCR1zD7SkPxyXRbWa3VRFaRRwnPmgn2Y2X3MtJFt_7KRj/s320/Shooting+P4C+Commercial.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5531810032948592514" /></a> Since the middle of the summer I have been teamed up with a couple Sternies on <a href="http://www.photosforchange.com">Photos for Change</a>. We have been working from the business plan drawn up in Professor Kickul's Foundations of Social Entrepreneurship, and tapping others to help pull together what's going to be a strong run for the Satter Entrepreneurship prize in April. <br /><br />With each week we're getting more and more of the foundation laid. This weekend was website refinement, picking collateral and design elements as well as preparing our upcoming commercial. More to follow!<br /><br />An extra big thanks to Catherine from <a href="http://www.globalgoodspartners.org/template/index.cfm">Global Goods Partners</a> and Sara for sharing their Sunday afternoon with us!Adam Aronsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13730122219739057099noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5460531.post-11773111595881264522010-07-05T13:24:00.003-04:002010-07-05T13:34:19.567-04:00In Macro Economics class we studied how Bogota's Rapid Transit System is drastically changing their future. It is helping move tremendous numbers of citizens, and converting commuting congestion into productivity. This isn't always the language used to describe the frustration and challenges of being stuck in rush hour; instead terms like road rage or anger are the ascribed sentiments. While it may not necessarily be a direct translation into productivity, even additional leisure time in the evening after work would be greatly appreciated. New York transit has been mired with budget challenges, increased ridership, and a seeming never ending attempt at Subway expansion. I for one was sad to see the congestion pricing fail for cars entering lower Manhattan. As an ardent proponent for public transportation, this plan would have been immensely successful in moving more people more quickly. Nevertheless, NY is getting its act together presently and adding new Select Bus Service routes. The initial results have been increased ridership and a whopping 98% satisfaction with the offering. <a href="http://nymag.com/news/features/67027/">NY Magazine</a> has a really nice write-up on the upcoming enhancements.Adam Aronsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13730122219739057099noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5460531.post-63377604099784262692010-07-04T16:02:00.004-04:002010-07-05T13:24:28.239-04:00With some regularity, we, meaning my company and I, have been discussing diction. Good words are not hard to come by, although, using them appropriately can be a challenge. Bequeath for example is not merely to pass along possessions, rather it only applies in posthumous circumstances. Entitled carries many different meanings; however, there is some debate that a thing is actually entitled -- whereas it is in fact titled. A former colleague was recently sharing how my generation has a vocabulary somewhere in the range of 12-18K words on average, whereas those before us are north of 20K and potentially as high as 30K. Bearing that in mind, I asked how one could go about testing one's diction, and she suggested simply reading. The <a href="http://www.newyorker.com/">New Yorker</a> is always good for a challenge as can the <a href="http://www.economist.com/">Economist</a>. <br /><br />Today being Independence Day, there are a lot of articles circulating about the <a href=" http://en.wikisource.org/wiki/United_States_Declaration_of_Independence">Declaration of Independence</a>. It's been a while since I have read it, and <a href="http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/peruse">perusing</a> it (an often misused word in and of itself), I was pleased to see such words as <a href="http://www.thefreedictionary.com/usurpations">usurpations</a>, <a href="http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/inestimable">inestimable</a>, and <a href="http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/consanguinity">consanguinity</a>. Where would one go to test their diction for breadth?Adam Aronsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13730122219739057099noreply@blogger.com0