PORTLAND GET-2-GETHER
My friends in the states have been trying to make this huge gathering for our school. One after the other, it fails. So it is not only here that people miss to manage or to organize an outing. Big or small. Friends or not. Longing to meet or not. It is just a global syndrom where it is really hard to organize to get a huge group together--in here, even 2 people to meet. I am not blaming anyone, it is usually me who bailout of pre-organized, pre-announced gatherings or appointements. I would be super excited to join, but laugh at myself because I know when time comes, I wont be in the mood to meet actually. I just cant get to commit to going out. Anyways, I have been recieving all these emails from my friends announcing a kickoff for our gathering. I was excited. I didnt know my plan but I cant travel to the USA at that time because of many reasons. I wanted to go. I just remember portland when I went there couple of times. BUt why Portland. Why not anyother place. I have no idea.
Anyways, I just saw that my very good friend, Douglas, is going to Portland for a conference and he is calling all portland people to join to see him. In a gathering or on individual basis. Well, Doug is forever a very close friend to me. A friend of a friend, it started like that. Then we were great friends. His wife and kids were too. But me and him in particular were so working well in chemistry as friends. For many times we would go sit over the mountain and talk about many things we use to take at school. He was a full hearted person, a jew in origin, yet no religion now but strongly connected to God. He would talk and ask about 'our' God, Allah, and he would even let me recite some verses and prayers for him. I gave him tapes for coranic recitation and he loved it. One of those people who you cant miss to recognize his tender heart. He would cry if he saw a tree being ripped off. He would give me a sharp look when he saw me more than once standing infront of the fridge with its door opened, eating what's in the fridge. He gave me lecture on power saving. Well, he was a big-shot energy-enviroment saving for the New-England reigion. I encouraged him to go on with his masters at harvard, at the school of government. WE would talk a lot, not particularly about the courses, but about the attitude and how to deal with the harvard people. My famous sentence was, 'what the heck. They are stupid but hard-workers. You are smart.'
Anyways, we had a common friend, Deb Green, another jew who was a very hard-headed, blunt, sweet lady married to John. They were happily married. During this email series thing, she mentioned that she had just separated from John. I was surprised. Triggered me to write this email, in which I mentioned none about her but mostly about Doug. Mostly compared to the size of this post, but none to the memories and great times I had with him. Not only with him, but with Mike, Debra, Pat, Diane, Gloria, Kamil and Kamilla, Ann, Annie, Ann, .... many more who I had spent a night or two on their sofa, camped and took classes with. Serious ones during which I spit it all out.
Anyways, I just saw that my very good friend, Douglas, is going to Portland for a conference and he is calling all portland people to join to see him. In a gathering or on individual basis. Well, Doug is forever a very close friend to me. A friend of a friend, it started like that. Then we were great friends. His wife and kids were too. But me and him in particular were so working well in chemistry as friends. For many times we would go sit over the mountain and talk about many things we use to take at school. He was a full hearted person, a jew in origin, yet no religion now but strongly connected to God. He would talk and ask about 'our' God, Allah, and he would even let me recite some verses and prayers for him. I gave him tapes for coranic recitation and he loved it. One of those people who you cant miss to recognize his tender heart. He would cry if he saw a tree being ripped off. He would give me a sharp look when he saw me more than once standing infront of the fridge with its door opened, eating what's in the fridge. He gave me lecture on power saving. Well, he was a big-shot energy-enviroment saving for the New-England reigion. I encouraged him to go on with his masters at harvard, at the school of government. WE would talk a lot, not particularly about the courses, but about the attitude and how to deal with the harvard people. My famous sentence was, 'what the heck. They are stupid but hard-workers. You are smart.'
Anyways, we had a common friend, Deb Green, another jew who was a very hard-headed, blunt, sweet lady married to John. They were happily married. During this email series thing, she mentioned that she had just separated from John. I was surprised. Triggered me to write this email, in which I mentioned none about her but mostly about Doug. Mostly compared to the size of this post, but none to the memories and great times I had with him. Not only with him, but with Mike, Debra, Pat, Diane, Gloria, Kamil and Kamilla, Ann, Annie, Ann, .... many more who I had spent a night or two on their sofa, camped and took classes with. Serious ones during which I spit it all out.
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