Capricious Peacock

Walking On Ice

New photos from Razi and Lauren in Vermont of a day on frozen Lake Champlaign, posted in Razi and Lauren on the right bar.

Podcasting

As some of you know, I have really been getting into podcasting lately.  Every weekday morning I plug in and download the latest audio files from a list of sources that update periodically, mostly daily.  I have been doing this since the Triangle Bloggers Conference in Febraury, when I was introduced to podcasting.  I see podcasting as a big step in communication, I like to think of it as opening up your answering machine so that the entire world can hear it.  But it also removes the barriers for any person to create an audio program for mass consumption.  There are a lot of interesting people out there with something to say.

I have been doing a lot of thinking lately on how podcasting can be used in the field of entreprenuerial education and I think it can be very big, going past websites, emails, IMing and even blogs, podcasting can open up real conversations at a low cost all over the world.  If you want to know more about my project, Venture Circle, just let me know.  In the meantime, check out this article in the News and Observer (subscription may be required) or the blogs of Adam Curry and Dave Winer, the real pioneers in podcasting, or Ipodder the podcatcher I use.

Third Goal

As all Peace Corps Volunteers know, there are three goals that Kennedy had for the Peace Corps mission:

1. Helping the people of interested countries in meeting their needs for trained men and women.
2. Helping promote a better understanding of Americans on the part of peoples served.
3. Helping promote a better understanding of other peoples on the part of all Americans.

A new contribution to the blogosphere is an attempt to fulfill the Third Goal... "A community blog helping Peace Corps volunteers share personal stories that promote a better understanding of others."

Photos and Trips

New photos are posted on the photo column on the right...they are in three categories.

Old Town, DC - Two weekends ago, Lu and I went to visit our friends Brian and Brenda in Old Town Alexandria, part of metro Washington, DC.  We had a wonderful trip and can't wait to go back soon.  We also went to the National Museum of the American Indian, the new Smithsonian museum on the national mall.  It is a truly impressive structure, both inside and out and should be on everybody's to do list on their next trip to the capital.

Sancocho - Photos from a dinner we hosted at our house for our friends Juan Ricardo and Catalina, Sam and Michelle and Mario.  Sancocho is a traditional Colombian dish, one of a long line of soups and stews.  The sancocho we had was the Bogota style, which has chicken and beef.  Dessert was an experimental apple cake gone well.

NC Mercado - We all knew that NC has a growing Latino population...but where do they go shopping?  Well we found it! We followed a group of anthropology gradaute students through the local blue roads.  In northern Orange County each Sunday there is a flea market which has in essence turned into the mercado central, Latino style open market with vegetable and fruit prices to match.  Really, it is a mixture of the mercado and the county fair, with cheap toys and unbridled consumerism...every Sunday.  We'll be back.