Football*
The girls football team won the indoor tournament at Woodstock, there are some slightly out of focus pictures on my facebook page. We pretty much dominated the 5 15-minute matches we played. Plus the trophy was the biggest I've ever touched - (because I merely stood next to the Stanley Cup in Toronto last winter - I didn't want to mess with the guard/major-hockey-fan-eh protecting it) Last Saturday we tied our match in Rajpur against Unison School (technically, we lost in the second round of penalty kicks - but who goes to penalties in a friendly match anyway?) One more match tomorrow, which could be the end of our season I guess. For the record, a two match season is as lame as Hanson Field, the triangular, mostly-gravel field upon which we practice. So it goes. We've got some great athletes on the team.*I've pretty much converted 100% to using the term "football" as opposed to the American term. It's just logical I suppose. However, I did re-charge my American spirit just yesterday by placing my absentee ballot in the mail. "Obama, No, and No". God bless America (but first, bless the Indian Post please :)
Fear the Scorpions
I recently found the second scorpion slowly crawling across my bedroom floor. I put the scorpion in a big jar. Then, remembering a large spider living in my living room, about the circumference of a coffee mug with legs fully spread, I placed them in the jar together. Well, some students and I patiently watched and waited for hours (what better way to spend a Friday night?) Unfortunately, there are better things to do on a Friday evening. The scorpion and spider did not entertain us with a full-on battle royal; instead they did nothing.
Anyway, every time I need to walk to the bathroom at night now, I apprehensively sit up and slowly lower my feet to the ground to find my slippers - hoping I don't find the scorpion's mother or something worse. I am equally paranoid of this angry scorpion-mother when I brush my teeth - what's creeping, crawling in the space below my kitchen sink... As I do these routine tasks, my heart rate increases dramatically in fear.
The two scorpion scares here remind me of some posts from Amanda De Castillo in Guatemala. And if that courageous missionary-mother is scared, you know a scorpion is something to be respected and feared. But, as there were certainly some scary creatures in Guatemala while I was visiting on a mission trip in 2010, I also remember the beautiful flowers and trees in Padre Horacio's garden. Similarly, along with the snakes, scorpions, and creepy crawlies here, there are the colorful flowers on the mountainside. Really nice colors, yar.
Dalai Lama Visit
As a now-enlightened American, and I use the term loosely, I think I have the pronunciation right when I say, "Dalai" rhymes with "Mumbai". I only bring this up because we who tend to mispronounce proved an easy target for some friendly teasing around campus in the weeks leading up to His Holiness' visit. Follow this link for an interesting general summary of his visit. Read on for my brief thoughts on his impact upon the boys and myself. The Dalai Lama inspired a positive response from most the boys; evident the evening following his visit. Some were surprised at how candid, and even silly, he was. When asked about the major problems and human crises of our time, his approach was simple - have compassion for your neighbors and don't place value in the material "stuff" of this world. That is what I recall at least. One of my students commented that what he said are all the things we're told to do as kids but often fail to do as adults. I think there is some truth in that.
One practical and simple take-a-way I got from his talk was from his views on sleeping. He is a pro-sleep guy. And me, well, it took some convincing, but my vote is now aligned with His Holiness'. I have never enjoyed a regular sleep schedule, or sleeping in and of itself. What a waste of time, right! But I think in most circumstances that's the wrong approach. I am going to loath sleep less now. Maybe I'll be less cranky when it's 45 minutes after lights-out and the boys are out of their rooms being noisy, obnoxious, and ... being boys.
Birthday Wishes
To my little bro Derek, 21 years today. If you can help it Derek, please don't buy a really shitty beer for your first legally purchased drink. My recommendation would be the Happy Gnome or Muddy Pig, maybe hit up Paisano's first for some pizza. Or, closer to campus, maybe you should get a local brew with some quirky pizza's at Pizza Luce. Oh, and you know, I was perusing some reviews on Beer Advocate the other day when I noticed that the Town Hall Brewery, also close to campus, has garnered great reviews for its IPA with an equally good name. Yup, the last idea is the best I can offer, I just had to warm up and get my mind back to the twin cities. And of course Derek, the drinks are on me, I'll pay you back when you visit. Greg Miller, co-worker and travel-buddy, your birthday was memorable - goodbye 20s, hello "old" :) Oh, my. I should probably get going now, I have to shower and get ready for a student's birthday party - Dinner at Highlands (Rokeby Manor) for the entire senior class tonight.
