Wow, busy week.  In the next half hour I'll be heading down to Rajpur for the Senior School Religious Education Retreat.  The theme is on life with a disability in India - I'm curious and excited to learn more about that.  There is also a service day involved - you can never go wrong trying to L-O-V-E your neighbor (I'm talkin' platonic love/agape-love here of course).
And speaking of love - One thousand splendid thanks to those friends and family back home who have sent their love in the form of coffee beans.  Just received some MN roasted beans from Jay and Rose, and Mom and Dad sent a belated birthday package earlier this month. 
And speaking of my wonderful and generous parents - HAPPY ANNIVERSARY!  I hope to get you a video message by Sept 1st, but patience please if its a few days late.  These two high school sweethearts have nurtured and supported a perfect family over the years (I guess "decades" describes it better).  What an example of a committed and genuinely happy relationship.  Miss you both, LOL or love of love.
 

 

Well, other than the internet connection being really crappy in my new apartment, the semester is off to a terrific start.  Because why Devan?  (the following list is in no particular order, but does create a facade of organization and precision - don't be fooled - its neither).

1. As of last week, I have a Hindi tutor.  He is a local from Mussoorie who is an amicable, but knowledgeable, teacher.  I also go to class in my kitchen, so my commute to and from lessons is about 1 minute (round trip).  Hopefully I can stick with it and become more than the typical "white tourist" anywhere outside Woodstock.

2. The health center sent down some antibiotics after a throat swab test on Wednesday.  Life is a lot easier when I'm not miserably sick.  But I didn't suffer all that much because a student of mine shared the first season of Arrested Development with me (Of course he shared it legally).

3. Football/Soccer at Woodstock is pretty important*.  Ex A. There is a tournament/fundraiser, Goal-a-thon!, going this weekend, where dozens of teams compete and raise money for a local charity.  Exciting. As there is no decent pitch/field here, we play in the gym with 5-a-side.  I played on the staff team tonight.  We lost - but it was fun.  But not as fun as (Ex B.) The Woodstock Senior School Boys team being undefeated so far this season.  The last two Fridays I've enjoyed my afternoons off-duty by traveling with the team for their matches/games in the 11th annual Om Prakash Tournament.  They won the first in regular match play, the second in a suspenseful shootout.  Great stuff, all the best to them tomorrow at the semi-finals!
*Understatement of the post. It is also worth mentioning that this particular understatement is a big understatement relative to my extra-blog-post understatements as well.  

4. In the last week, I've been referred to as "Coach D" at least once.  Why?  Because I am one of the coaches for the Woodstock Senior School Girls Football Team now.  They needed a coach and I'm excited to get the season going for some 25 girls - wait, another girl said she was unable to make the tryouts last Mon/Tues but is still interested in playing - 26 it is then.  The more the merrier, because thankfully, there are other staff willing to help manage this large but determined group.

5. I work with the seniors now.  Great stuff, this class.  As I've been with these boys nearly two years now, it is more fun and meaningful to continue dorm-parenting them.  Oh-note to self-one student is interested in MIT and maybe he should email Emily about life in/near Boston.  Only down side to working with the señors is less time to spend with the other boys, which sucks!  At least I'm going help facilitate a "birds & the bees/drugs-are-bad-mmkay-kids" talk with them next month.  God I wish this stupid line didn't have to hang awkwardly below Mr. Garrison.


6. Some people from the states travel across the world to get a chance to be in the presence of His Holiness the XIVth Dalai Lama.  Next month, probably before "The Talk" with the seniors, I'll go up to school as I do 3-5 times a week, sit down in the gym like I would for any all-school event, and listen to His Holiness.  "So, like OMG! right? i'm totes going to try and get his autograph :)"  But seriously, but not too serious because look at that face, I'm thrilled at the opportunity not only for myself, but for Woodstock.  I'm excited to see what ideas and/or thoughts he imparts upon the students and community as a whole.      

Finished my last shift of the week 3 or 4 hours ago.  Exhausted, I locked the door behind me as I walked through the dark, sat down on the couch.  Allowing a few thoughts to flash across my mind, as the stars likely do behind the clouded, monsoon sky, I resolve to enjoy a beer.  I move the small can from refrigerator to the freezer for 10 minutes because I like my lagers cool and then find a mug.  Impulsively check my email and facebook... mesmerized time-warp until the alarm sounds to notify me I'll never get those moments of life back and I should remove the beer before it explodes because its slightly alcohol deficient.  Wait, don't I like music more than beer.

Once while in Bhutan last month I zoned out my travel buddies for few songs by Gaslight Anthem (it was only a few songs, I dearly love them).  "Damn," thought I, "That single '45' is catchy and well written."  Satisfied with checking out this release, I searched Wikipedia for the track list, cued up the internet radios, plugged my Sennheisers into the jack and away we went.

...

I honestly enjoyed at least 94% of the songs.  I think there was one backup vocal part which seemed a little hokey.  I thought to write down some thoughts.  But at ten to 3am, I'm throwing in the towel.