PERSPECTIVE
An aid workers impressions as she travels the world building toilets.
Latest public adventure: to be determined.
Poems, photos and ramblings abound.


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November 25, 2010

I me mine

Having perspective and having a perspective are two different things.

* * *
All thru' the day I me mine, I me mine, I me mine.
All thru' the night I me mine, I me mine, I me mine.
* * *

Last night, the BBC criticized the UN's coordination of the humanitarian response to cholera outbreak in Haiti. I told my dad, that was my job.  I am not a defensive person, I didn't take it personally (I am a small person in a big machine), I know we worked our asses off. I have my criticisms too.

* * *
Now they're frightened of leaving it
Ev'ryone's weaving it,
Coming on strong all the time,
All thru' the day I me mine.

I, I, Me, Me, Mine
I, I, Me, Me, Mine
I, I, Me, Me, Mine
    I, I, Me, Me, Mine    
* * *

George was the genius. Taking us deftly from a sweet waltz to hard riffs and screaming, imposing his rock upon the listener.
Just to make his point.
It's his song.

* * *
All I can hear I me mine, I me mine, I me mine.
Even those tears I me mine, I me mine, I me mine.
* * * 

When I returned from Haiti, I sat in the Maimi airport thinking of how selfish everyone else in the world was. Wanting to see Haiti still on the news, more than  the same false numbers updating on the CNN ticker. I wanted everyone around me to care. To know the lack of dignity that is cholera. The lack of shit pits. The lack of body bags. I wanted them all to care. And they didn't.
And I become a cliche bleeding heart aid worker who lost perspective. And I went from tears to giggles, regaining a little perspective upon my own selfishness.

* * *
No-one's frightened of playing it
Ev'ryone's saying it,
Flowing more freely than wine,
All thru' your life I me mine.
* * *

My job in Haiti was coordination... meetings, meetings, meetings. Each person in each coordination meeting had their agenda. Their message. They become characters in a sitcom.  Each had their role to play. The roles developed.
Rooms of strangers became strangely predictable.
Me too, just like everyone. I, sometimes deftly, sometimes clumsily, eventually sounded like a broken record.

* * *
I, I, Me, Me, Mine
I, I, Me, Me, Mine
I, I, Me, Me, Mine
I, I, Me, Me, Mine    
* * *

My perspective ain't no better than yours, unless I am right and you are wrong, which seems to be the case, from my perspective.

And that is precisely why a perspective is useless, but perspective is invaluable.

November 15, 2010

How many days?

I was taking time to comment on writing, on water.
On rubble and iron bar.
On this country.
Today,
I can't tell you what is happening anymore
because it changes too quickly
because I don't have enough perspective
because anything I say will come out as
sentimental
sinical
or
desperate.

* * *

You know my thoughts on data and numbers and indicators.
Read the papers about the cholera in Haiti, but remember bias and Heisenberg.

* * *

Context is everything.

I was enjoying the sourth in Leogane in Peitit Goave, under the mango tree. Getting the maps in order. Staying out of Port au Prince. During a completely failed meeting I was chairing, I got a call and left within two hours and was in the Artibonite region to respond to the cholera outbreak. Not a warm welcome.

Cholera is not a nice thing. You have to be ahead of the curve. Especially when it's unknown.