They say you should google / search query your name to check and see what appears online. This is a great way to make sure your social media doesn't appear—unless you want it too, or that you're not connected to a gangster mob—unless you want to be. ;) "What's in a name? That which we call a rose By any other name would smell as sweet." ~Shakespeare A name is what you make of it. Like words we give meaning to a name. Searching about family history can be hard when your name changed at Ellis Island in New York, but it also can bring up amazing results. Chema, my families surname we believe, was changed from Czhema or Schema when it came from Hungary. But search for Chema and you'll probably find a large collection of Hispanic and acronym references. Ranging from famous artists to organizations. Chema Madoz, [Hispanic] probably one the most well known is this photographer. His works are simple, almost always Black and White and insanely clever. Chema Mendez, [Spanish] another artist, one whom I greatly admire. His works are intricate and wondrous to look at and study. I have been following his works for many years now on deviantART and I am always impressed by what he creates. CHema Skandal, [Hispanic] this one is just as bizarre as the name implies. I haven't figured out if it's just the name of an exhibition or the artists "name." Either way, the illustrations are fun and the idea behind the name / exhibit is clever. Jonathan Chema, [American] a indie filmmaker and photographer who has some really cool work. On his blog he reviews equipment and explains new techniques and his creative ideas. Chema Diagnostica, [Italian] this company makes diagnostic equipment and they have a pretty neat offering too. According to the FDA in vitro diagnostics are, “tests that can detect diseases, conditions, or infections. Some tests are used in laboratory or other health professional settings and other tests are for consumers to use at home.” My nerdiness is gleeful at this use of Chema. Chema's Tacos, [Californian] the first time I saw this I cried from laughing. All I know is that the next time I go to CA, this is a planned stop. "I have been coming here since I was a little fat kid," ~ wrote one, apparently, very happy customer.
Chema's Trucking, [Texan] I don't really have any words for this one beyond, I love the glory shot of the rig.
Chema el panadero, Barrio Sésamo, [Hispanic] So this character is on the Sesame Street Hispanic affiliate; he sings, dances, and bakes. Circa 1983-1987. “Panadero Soy,” his solo song, for your amusement. As humans, we want our name to be remembered for having done great things. I'll leave you with this last one that has brought a strange amount of pride in me for our kinship of name. Chema, non-profit organization, [Tanzanian] Community Habitat Environmental Management This organization does good works in Tanzania to help villages and the environment. They work with farmers, beekeepers and villages to work towards a common goal; unity.
Unity, that's the main idea of this post; of sharing a name with someone. Marriages and Brands are no stranger to this. A name connects people together for one idea, it represents something. This time it's the Chema element. Even if it's just a handful, Chema connects people and it's important to those of us that bear it.
Ironically in Swahili, Chema means, “a valuable thing.”
So what's in a name?
I live with a couple, Beth and James and we have a fourth in the house, Stacy (Wei-ying). This is from an encounter earlier today.
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It's really awkward when your housemates mother from Taiwan, who speaks very little English, is watching you cook. Not just watching. Hovering. Observing. Calculating weather or not you are just a crazy American cooking strange food. She is also cooking. So now it raises a slew of questions, what are you cooking? What is this ingredient? Is it still cooking or does it have to cook some more? Why are you mixing those two items together? Of course they are not asked in English. 'Cause that would be easy.
In Chen-mama's* defense, it is a Moroccan dish. Most of the ingredients are in Arabic. At this point, I'm not even sure what I am cooking anymore.
Fact remains; it's very awkward. Funny thing is, I think my trip to the Moroccan mountains will be just the same. I'll try not to hover when we cook.
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I don't get it, she watched me wash the dishes. Diligently she stood there, eying the sponge. She is not the first to do this...my flatmates in England did this too...but really? What is so fascinating about my cooking and washing up?
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*Chen-mama means Mrs. Chen in Chinese. I find this highly ironic since all my friends call my mother Chema-mama...or squirrel-whisperer.
One of my favorite quotes is from V for Vendetta. The premise of the movie is a corrupted government. But the quote, stated by one of the main characters investigating a mystery, says this:
"One thing that is true of all governments – their best records are tax records."
Did you know that Abraham Lincoln was the president that started the IRS, then called the Bureau of Internal Revenue. The BIR came about because of the debt accumulated from the civil war. And here I thought only mass produced tinned food and clothing, aka consumerism, where the only things to come out of that abysmal war. The problems the USA has have been made by the USA.
“...truth be told, if you're looking for the guilty, you need only look into a mirror...” — V
But moving past that the IRS has also done some other interesting things.
“In addition to the income tax, Congress specifically charged the BIR with enforcing another Progressive-era reform: Prohibition. The BIR was also highly involved in enforcing tax laws relating to narcotics crimes and in convicting "Public Enemy Number One," gangster Al Capone”— How Stuff Works, website.
I knew about Capone, but prohibition?
Fascinating.
Stranger things have happened...
Bit of advice; If you can't go insane while in another country find someone who can do it for you. I did. Their name is the Royal Shakespeare Company. More on that later though.
So Bamburgh Castle and Holy Island. Interesting trips but to quote a fun movie “it's too fucking brief” sums up the trip. No really it was way to short. We only had an hour and a half to wonder around the Island and Lindisfarne Castle...yeah. But what I did see was nice enough. Loads of sheep and stones. But the neat thing about the island is you can only go to it when the tide is out and that is a neat sight to behold. It looks so desolate on the sand because the water is about a mile out but comes in that far. Creepy really. Also on the island they used to make limestone (?) and there are bit cauldrens that you can see.
Bamburgh castle was alright not much to say
Mostly though I have been taking a crap-ton of photos for my book, which today I learned my classmates think they need the backround removed from. ... But I have taken photos of my flatmates and classmates and a girl from church. So letsee: Amy the English, Janek, Verena, and Fabian the Germans, Paul the American, Linus the Swede, Michael the Mesopotamian, and Alex the Scottish. I still need one more model and I will be done with photos.
The only other really big things were going with the Christain Union to Durham, which one of the sessions me and another guy skipped to go wander around outside. for shame I know. And then the play.
As yes the play.
On Thursday I saw two things, first Tim Brown from IDEO visited the school. Sweetness! And then As You Like It with the RSC. That was hilarious! I really don't think I can do this play justice it was so funny. I sat next to these school boys and we had to careen over the edge to see, but hey it was only £5. At one point one of the characters Jaques come out singing, well I might add, and was prompting the adudience, 1/3 was primary and high school students. So he is interacting with us and at one point he says “I can suck melancholy out of a song like a weasel sucks eggs.” I honestly nearly wet myself from laughing so hard. Just the way he said it...haha!!
Later on at the beggining of the 2nd half two of the characters are on stage wait for the scence to start and interacting with the students. Well one of them, the farm keeper, pulls out a real rabbit and skins it.
On stage.
Of course the boy students were all excited by this and cheering or groaning...I couldn't decide. At one point the second character on the stage brings out these signs and they said “Meat is Murder.”
Finally towards the end two of the charcters are moving through the crowd, one of them being a woman in a short skirt. Emphasis on short. Well to help her get past of the audience members this older gentleman totally cops a feel of her butt.
Great play though. so funny!
Chema
You need three things for your visa: your visa letter, patience, and the ability to cue.
So if I have not had a chance to tell you in person your going to enjoy this. I have been denied my visa twice in a row now. The first time was not my fault, there was a problem with my visa letter from NU. The second time I screwed it up. Yes, I will explain, but I am warning you its absurd. One would think that I would see this as a sign but not me, Chema. No apparently I am learning patience, never ask God to give you patience. He will make you learn the hard way.
So what happened? this is truly embarrassing guys, really it is. There is a question in the application that asks have you ever been denied a visa. okay that's not to hard to answer right? Apparently it is. I said no.
*headdesk*
I told you it is an absurd thing. So I get to do it again. For the first one I went to Columbus' immigration office, the second in Pittsburgh (I am out at my church camp till the 5th of August). So for the third I am waiting until then and doing it in Ohio. My only worry is that the plane ticket is going to be a fortune. But you know what? God is in control.
And that is all that matters. If you can't be patient then your sure going to learn how to listen. So I am not giving up, just antsy. God might even still tell me I can't go even after all of this. That will suck but I don't know what his plans are for me.
Chema
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