Sunday, September 30, 2007
And About Those Paper Chains
As I said before, I don't think sukkot are whole without paper chains, but I wasn't prepared to make them myself. So, I invited a few new friends over for brunch tomorrow to make them them with me.... only out of recycled paper, of course!
Full of Excuses, That's Me
I have an excuse... I really do. There was this holiday and it was, like, an important one. Like, it was so important that I didn't go to class or go shopping or even brush my teeth (just kidding!!) for three days! Egads!
I've never been so psyched to just be a normal person again with my email and cell phone and hot water.
Last week I had my 8 consecutive hours of class and they were, as I should have guessed, no big deal. In fact, they were actually really exciting and I was completely energized by all the new concepts... yes, I am that big of a nerd, I admit it.
Early in the week I spent quite a bit of time in classes, figuring out where the volcanology building is (yes, that's right), and trying to determine whether the outside temperature demanded shorts and tanktops or scarves and raincoats. (The answer to the last one: both.) By Friday, my sukkah had survived two fairly serious bouts of rain and I stopped running outside every time I heard the patter of droplets, knowing it was going to keep standing.
Also, due to my hydrology class, I now know how droplets form in the clouds to produce rain. And because you asked, well you would if this was that kind of forum, I will tell you. Basically there are two processes. One: collision. Droplets smack into one another, they get heavy, and fall out of the clouds. Graceful in its simplicity. The other process, two: Bergeron. This refers to the microscopic ice specs that form in clouds with low water vapor pressure attracting regular droplets that have higher water vapor pressure. When they get heavy, they also fall out of the sky and any amount of ice usually melts on the way down, giving us regular ole rain.
I am such a science dilettante. I love this stuff but I've never taken a serious science class. I blame Mr. Foster, high school physics teacher, for turning me off. I am also making terrific headway in the new Isaacson book on Einstein. The bits I love about Einstein are when he admits that the study of physics is really just trying to understand the underlying order that God created in the universe. I feel that way about Geography!
Ok, I'm tired. Here are some pics of the sukkah while under construction and with the final touches, pre rainstorm.
I've never been so psyched to just be a normal person again with my email and cell phone and hot water.
Last week I had my 8 consecutive hours of class and they were, as I should have guessed, no big deal. In fact, they were actually really exciting and I was completely energized by all the new concepts... yes, I am that big of a nerd, I admit it.
Early in the week I spent quite a bit of time in classes, figuring out where the volcanology building is (yes, that's right), and trying to determine whether the outside temperature demanded shorts and tanktops or scarves and raincoats. (The answer to the last one: both.) By Friday, my sukkah had survived two fairly serious bouts of rain and I stopped running outside every time I heard the patter of droplets, knowing it was going to keep standing.
Also, due to my hydrology class, I now know how droplets form in the clouds to produce rain. And because you asked, well you would if this was that kind of forum, I will tell you. Basically there are two processes. One: collision. Droplets smack into one another, they get heavy, and fall out of the clouds. Graceful in its simplicity. The other process, two: Bergeron. This refers to the microscopic ice specs that form in clouds with low water vapor pressure attracting regular droplets that have higher water vapor pressure. When they get heavy, they also fall out of the sky and any amount of ice usually melts on the way down, giving us regular ole rain.
I am such a science dilettante. I love this stuff but I've never taken a serious science class. I blame Mr. Foster, high school physics teacher, for turning me off. I am also making terrific headway in the new Isaacson book on Einstein. The bits I love about Einstein are when he admits that the study of physics is really just trying to understand the underlying order that God created in the universe. I feel that way about Geography!
Ok, I'm tired. Here are some pics of the sukkah while under construction and with the final touches, pre rainstorm.
Tuesday, September 25, 2007
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.
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.
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