Mon day

Well, I made it my day. Got up, had a nice three hour coffee w/ SW at Bella Italia -- a great cafe nearby (but not conspicuous), I've been meaning to try out. Had a great, fun time. Good to get out and be with and among people. After that went over to the Paseo Alacorta to catch the 3:20 showing of Match Point, which despite a little over-acting at the start, did turn out to be a well made and interesting film. Might see it again. Liked the use of opera and tragedy and the premise itself (the role luck plays in our lives). Of course, as far as I'm concerned, the real gem in the film is the aristocratic, predictable, but nice to look at and fun to be with brother-in-law, Tom (Matthew Goode).

Simply been reading and getting back into the groove, though I have stopped running. From looking at a few other dissertations related to my topic, it doesn't look as if interviews make or break the diss. They were more important in Bolivia where there are few if any written materials on the topic, but I think they're less important in Argentina where there is a body of literature. I suppose this is a good thing since people seem less inclined to respond to requests for interviews in BA -- which leads me to the issue of professionalism; something I'll address in greater depth at a future date. Briefly, I'm surprised by the lack of (professionalism) I'm finding across the board (in the US and in Arg and in Bo). I'd say it's the exception and certainly not the rule, but it is a notable exception. Sure these are busy people and perhaps their communications systems have crashed or they've met an untimely death, but I think there is a duty on the part of individuals and organizations, especially those involved with human rights and public responsibility to make provisions. For example, when I worked for a law firm in DC, every call and communication was logged and dealt with, even if it was to inform the person they should inquire elsewhere. It's the least you do.

Tomorrow, who knows what. No doubt more of the same, with some prepping for my SCT meeting on Wednesday.

B.