Street Fight

I just finished watching this really great documentary about Newark Mayor, Cory Booker, called Street Fight. It was fascinating to watch what was going on at the grassroots level of his bid to replace Sharpe James. I must say that while watching this documentary I kept thinking about the mafia. Sharpe James is a gangster...a literal gangster. He fought so down and dirty that I think even dirt would be ashamed to welcome him into its fold! It really goes to show you just how corrupt someone can get if there's money in it for them. For what it's worth, I never liked Sharpe James and his rhetoric. After watching Curry's documentary, now I know why. James' practices of intimidation and just downright lying was sinful. What disturbed me even more is that he wielded so much power through fear that those who supported his campaign couldn't even see that he was leading them down the wrong path for so many years. I highly recommend this film. Ironically, Cory Booker will be speaking at the graduation reception. I am so looking forward to hearing him speak. I hope I get the opportunity to meet him as well. He was part of a lecture series earlier this semester but it was on a night when I had seminar. He is such an exceptional leader and I commend him on his personal and political philosophy. To hear him speak next week will be a real treat. I can't hardly believe it but this is the last week of classes for me. Praise the Lord!

Today was a really good Sunday, my cousin Sharon called yesterday to say she was in town and wanted to do go to brunch before headed back to London tonight. I love seeing Sharon...she so smart and cool. We went to brunch at Brooklyn Marriott. It's funny that I live in the borough yet never went there for anything. We had a great table by the window overlooking Adams Street. With the beautiful sunshine outside and the beautiful spirit of Sharon for conversation inside, it turned out to be a perfect day. She says I should visit Thailand while visiting Korea. I'm not sure if Sungrim would like to do this since it may require both of us getting visas for travel. Plus there is so much to see in South Korea. I put in my request already to visit the DMZ. Sounds scary, dangerous, and amazing at the same time. Only group tours are allowed to visit the zone so Sungrim will set us up to go. It's hard to believe that a country can be so fractured and that there is such a literal, visual divide between North and South Korea. I have been studying up on my basic Korean language skills as much as I can. Never hurts to know some key words and phrases.

O.K. Still have schoolwork to wrap up...thank goodness it's almost over. My next goal...to become fluent with my Spanish so that by this time next year I can visit Madrid or Barcelona. I feel like i'm missing something but I missed a couple of days and you know how hard it is to catch up. Oh well...it's good being busy. More tomorrow.