An Ominous Beginning

I took nearly three months off from this blogging thing, so sue me.

But I’m back to pouring my thoughts into cyberspace, as long as I have time. Since last blog entry, I…
… cared for > 60 kids as a camp counselor, including being hit in the face with a ping pong paddle, helping one kid flush mud out of his eyes on a camping trip for hours, sleeping under a creaking tree as it swayed in the dangerous wind *during* an earthquake, eating more pizza than I should have, fasting and bowling, hiking while carrying water for 10, imitating my campers’ accent that vaguely resembled Vladimir Putin, and many more stories that I can’t remember.
… spent much lovely time in SF thanks to some very special folks. You know who you are. The song about the leaving your heart there, well yea, that’s me.
… drove a Lincoln Navigator full with an antique bedroom set (and everything else) from SF to Ptown sans company.
… reunited with the rest of my stuff, oy stuff!!
… repacked a mini Uhaul with everything else, more stuff!!, and brought it to Eug. Mom and dad helped lots.
… bought the most expensive bed I think I have ever slept on.
… tried to put my life in order.
… met with Advisor, more than just a few times.
… acquainted myself with Eug and yes, I’m hoping to stay a while.

There’s tons of other stuff too, but it’s getting late, people.

Questions I’m pondering (I’m going to be an academic, I ponder godamit):

Ahmedinejad at Columbia: Is there something between supporting academic freedom/speech and finding it uncomfortable when such a person is openly provided a respectable forum where from they may spout their nonsense?

Why does 8 straight hours of classes tomorrow scare me when I worked many longer hour days for a salary?

Is it possible for me to work on water issues in the Middle East without taking a stand on where borders should eventually be located?

Am I really going to make paper chains for my sukkah? How can I have a sukkah without them?

Funny things that have happened already…

I went for a long walk over Shabbat a few weeks ago. After crossing a footbridge over the Willamette River, I found myself at Austzen Stadium, where the Oregon Ducks play. There are gigantic posters and signs with “DUCKS” in lights. And next to the stadium, an enormous parking lot sat entirely empty… except… did my eyes deceive me? Could it be? Surely not! Indeed, there was a troupe of 40 actual ducks crossing the parking lot, walking in a straight line from one shaded area to another. I couldn’t believe it. I strolled right up to them and asked the obvious question, “You ARE being paid, aren’t you!?”

Yesterday, oy! My parents drove down from Ptown to deliver a small storage loveseat/bench that I bought and help me to continue to put my place in order. And my dad built the sukkah that now stands over my patio. But the diminutive, cute sukkah that now stands, is really version number two. Actually, the first attempt was going really well. It stood nearly 10’ by 10’. And as literally the last nail was going in, the whole construct came tumbling down. The two of us were laughing so hysterically that I couldn’t move. (Maybe you had to be there.)

The reason for the blog post title is because of a weird incident this morning. I went out for a jog and being so involved in my NPR radio show, and was generally just psyched that I was out running, I failed to notice a small bump in the pavement. So I tripped. But not one of those sort-of-lose-balance-and-then-regain kinds of tripping. This was a full on knees-scraped-on-the-pavement type. I'm pretty sure that I left some blood in front of someone's house. oops. Anyway, I was convinced for about a minute and a half that this was a very bad sign for the first day of school. But everything seems to have gone hunky dory.

I’ll try to keep everyone up on what’s new… but don’t expect it to be early and often like it was in Israel.