Like Sand Through the Hour Glass ...

... so are the days of my life. (Cue cheesy theme song.)

I see that most of my posts are composed of random comments or strange things I found on the internet. So now I'm going to try to be thoughtful and reflective, and make this more of a "diary" entry.

As far as the sick thing goes, well, I still am. The pain is greatly diminished compared to last time. Glad for that. I have also lost my emergency tire. (e·mer·gen·cy·tire [ĭ-mûr'jən-sē taɪər]: n the 5 pound flab around my mid-section) which disconcerts my doctor but pleases me just fine.

I'm waiting to hear from the financial aid department about this Fall. George Washington University just recently won the dubious distinction of being the single most expensive institution of higher learning in the entire world (I sure can pick them, can't I?) but they have always been generous to me with aid. We'll see. Worse comes to worst, I guess I'll get loans up to my eyeballs.

I've very slowly and carefully put out a few feelers to different religious communities, and I've been properly surprised. None of the communities have said "no." One Sister told me: "well, Sister so and so has suffered that sickness her entire life!"

It gives me a great deal of courage to see that this really is still an option. but I don't think I will do anything about it for several months yet. There are a number of obstacles to be overcome, emotionally, before I'd brave putting my toe in the water ... and I'm not the type to "window shop."

I'm also happy as larry that the weather has finally changed! I got my first "seasonal" sunburn last Saturday.

The Japanese Have Everything

Japan's giant indoor beach, complete with artificial sky and perfectly timed waves:

Take God's Advice, Hands Off the Jews

For if you keep silence at such a time as this, relief and deliverance will arise for the Jews from another quarter, but you and your father's house will perish. Esther 4:14

Thus speaketh Mordecai, the Jew.

The story of little Haddasah, who became Esther, Queen of Persia, is one of my favorites. When her husband, the King, is more or less duped into signing a proclamation ordering the extermination of the Jews, Esther has already been banished from his chamber. The ancient protocol governing the land forbids the Queen from approaching the King unless she is summoned. Will she break the law, risk her life, and admit that she is one of the despised Israelites? Drama, drama, drama.

This story also contains that kernel of truth which Mordecai speaks to his adopted daughter: God will always find a way to save the Israelites, even if He has to wait until the last minute. Anyone who gets in His way will be squashed.

If there's ever a question about whether they are the Chosen People, the objective evidence seems to point in that direction. Pharaoh? Toast. Hitler? Toast. There is no force on earth that has ever survived mortal combat with the Jews.

It's pretty much like getting involved in a land war in Asia.

People just don't seem to get it though. They keep on banging their heads against the wall. God doesn't take back His promise sillies!

I will bless those who bless you, and whoever curses you I will curse; Genesis 12:3

A Dream Deffered

I spend a good deal of time these days in the bathroom. And so, I decided to make it pretty. Up with the white carpet (in the bathroom? What were you thinking?) and down with the fancy floating vinyl tile. I painted the walls a pleasant shade of purple.

To finish up the remodel, I ordered an expensive, top of the line, Japanese, one piece toilet with custom soft-close seat. The current installation is a 12 year old builder's model which clogs every other day and is generally a pain in the tush for anyone who uses it a lot (me.)

What joy and anticipation, as I tracked my longed-for package. Finally, this evening, it arrived. My father got a utility knife, and together we tore through cardboard and styrofoam. There was my shiny new toilet. With a big chunk of porcelain broken off. My shipment was one of 1 percent damaged en route.

The company is going to send a new one. But at this point, I feel like I need to catch a break. Maybe I should go buy a lottery ticket?

Happy Easter

Alleluia!

Time for a Bacon!

Alleluia!

Did you know: "In ancient times, bacon was used to clothe the rich and heal the poor. Today, it is considered the greatest, most delicious food in existence."

Have you ever eaten a meal which consisted only of bacon? Have you ever eaten bacon with dessert? Do you often eat food and think "this could use some bacon?"

If so, you could be a Bacon Addict.

Why I Like Baseball Best

1. Summer. The Boys of Mid-Winter sounds not so charming.

2. Baseball exists outside time. In this magic land of enduring hope, the impossible (12 run, last inning comeback) becomes possible.

3. Baseball is nice and easy. There is plenty of non-tense time for banter and togetherness, which is half the fun of soaking up a game.

4. The diamond shape. Mathematical perfection, ahhhh, refreshing.

5. Bleacher seats. Cheap and good for you.

6. 7th Inning Stretch. "Take me out to the Ball Game!" is the only time I sing outside of church.

7. No cheerleaders. Forget steroids, the lack of female flesh for sale on the sidelines makes baseball the least skeevey of the major sports.

8. Many talents may apply. Need not be tall or horse size. Most kids are half-way decent doing at least one of the skills baseball requires; therefore most kids can dream of the Big Leagues.

9. 162 games. The season is made for savoring.

10. The game of baseball is a lot like the game of life.

Sometimes I Am Not Easy To Love

Springtime Means Registration

I awoke before the dawn to wait my turn on the online line and put my name down under my chosen courses. This electronic registration thing is designed to anesthetize the brutal procedure by which the student body climbs, crawls, and claws over one another to win a coveted seat.

The process gets increasingly bloody as students who failed to get into closed sections show up anyway and implore the instructor to sign an override form. Should the instructor refuse, there must be an agonizing trip to the Chair of the Department.

I remember my own visit to the Chair of the French Department. I knew from various sources that an absolute limit was imposed on the foreign language sections, and the Chair was not budging, not even in cases where graduation was imperiled. I merely wanted a particular professor whose tests I liked. There was a long line of beggars just outside the office.

Anyhow, I put on my best performance, complete with earnest face and glistening eyes. "Oh, alright," sighed the Chair. As I walked out of her office, I murmured to the next girl on line: "CRY."
"Oh, I intend to," she said.

There was none of that this morning. Being an upperclassman, I have a distinct advantage over the underclassmen hoards. Although in my economics class the professor is "TBA," so I remain ill at ease.

My coursework for Fall 2009:

International Economics
Human Rights and Ethics
Developmental Anthropology
U.S. Diplomatic History
History of the Modern Middle East