So What Now?

Now I'm home in the great state of Ohio...

Everyone asks me if it's great to be home and it is. Sort of. There are things I like, things I love and things that I really hate about living here. And by here I don't mean America. I'm not going to post an anti-America anti-materialism rant here. That's not what I mean.

I mean I like seeing everyone and hanging out and going to church and (obviously) seeing Big Brother and As the World Turns.

But...it's kind of boring here. And I need to find a job and earn a living, and blah, blah, blah...

I don't know. There's a lot of good stuff coming up (wedding, sweetcorn blackberry ice cream, that kind of stuff), but I miss Iraq.

That's right, I said it. I miss it. I miss Joan and Lucy (both of them) and Doris and Wally and Stanley and Ernie and Todd. I miss doing work that I really liked.

On the flip side, I do not miss 4 hours of electricity per day or the black wind. Or the honking!

I don't really have any profound insights on my transition. I'm just keeping the blog up-to-date.

F-A-N-Tastic

Whoever is responsible for the decision that I Angie and I would stay with a family in London instead of a hotel was a genius. I will pretend that it was me, so I can take the credit.

I will write more later, but I am having a great time. We had a BBQ yesterday and I ate more food than I've eaten at one time. Perhaps ever.

OK, OK. That last bit isn't true and Sis knows the truth....Vegas buffets...

But it's great to be in London and it's great to be staying with great people.

Almost Over

I was chided twice today about not keeping up with the blog this week.

"It seems that if you're going to have a blog, you should make an effort to post somewhat regularly..."

Well, I haven't written anything because I'm tired of reading. I want to spend the rest of the post writing about how we all spend too much time talking and not enough time doing, and that, if we were busier doing the work of God, we wouldn't have so much free time to analyze our part in it or to judge the others doing it, or to come up with theories to justify our inactivity.

But I won't. I don't really feel like it, and, honestly, you'll all do what you want anyway.

I've been really busy this week planning and executing the work here. We finally have a project that I am really excited about and another in the proposal stages.

But, I'm leaving.

And the projects will go on without and the work will be fine. No problem. And I'm going home to good things, I know. But a little (Ok big) part of me will miss this place. And these people. My life will never be like this again. On Thursday morning I'll say good-bye to a life that I'll never have again. It's not like the good-bye in January; I know I'd have that again.

And I know that there are parts of this that I am happy to leave behind. But it's weird to think that when I step out the door Thursday morning, it's over.

Even if I come back here, it won't be the same. Pieces will be missing. Maybe it will be better, but it won't be the same.

I'm not complaining, I'm just a little sad to see it go.

Happy 4th of July

Not much to report, but we did have barbecued chicken, baked beans, macaroni and cheese and applesauce for lunch. Plus a dessert called peach kuchen. We renamed it Peach Freedom Cake to keep things American. No German desserts for us, no sir.

The only detraction from the meal was the presence of the Kurdish salad (aka tomato and cucumber chunks), but I suffered through it. Oh, and, of course, the meal ended with little glasses of tea.

But, then again, maybe you will all have little glasses of tea following your holiday lunch. I don't know.

Also, just FYI, I was going to add pics here, but I don't really have any that are internet ready, so you'll have to wait.

Introducing Lucy

Yes, I know this blog already has one Lucy, but now there are two.

One day I hope to write about the cultural significance of this picture, but for now enjoy this picture of a dog driving a car.

More From Joan w/pics

Joan's Class - 07/01/06 - Massage Me, Baby (One More Time)

• 8:26 - Joan requests the "baby doll" for massage practice. She is given the two creepiest dolls in Kurdistan (and, perhaps, all of Iraq)
• 8:27 - I take a picture of Joan and the creepy twins
• 8:30 - Joan puts one of the creeps on the floor with all of the "dirt, dog and spit"
• 8:31 - Class begins like a lion. Will probably end like a lamb
• 8:32 - No, that's March... class begins, nonetheless
• 8:34 - Joan decides to practice first, which means I have to leave the room. But then come back for Joan's lecture. Joan sucks
• 8:40 - Look at my calendar
• 8:45 - Make a to-do list
• 8:46 - Read a book
• 9:02 - Class begins again
• 9:03 - Joan draws a row of teepees. Oops, I mean a spine. A spine.
• 9:05 - I don't think anyone's paying attention today. It is very hot.
• 9:06 - Joan's baby has Torticollis
• 9:07 - I think about writing a book: "Effleurage and the Spastic Child." Maybe Mamosta Karim will help me publish it.
• 9:14 - Still hot
• 9:15 - I think on day 6 we should all know that, if we work the front of the legs, we also work the back of the legs. I know this information. Why am I the only one?
• 9:18 - Joan makes the baby dance
• 9:20 - Something is happening that I don't understand
• 9:24 - Not all therapies will have the same results with every patient
• 9:28 - If your face is paralyzed, you must tap it. Vigorously
• 9:30 - Student asks for a free massage

That's the end of Joan's class for the day. I spent this afternoon at a Kurdish friend's house trying to watch the rest of the film Troy. We started it yesterday and had to stop when the power went out. We didn't finish today either! I am looking at a third day of the movie. And it's crap! Why can't Brad Pitt act? I saw Fight Club. Good. I saw Twelve Monkies. Good. His Achilles is painful.

Perhaps he should massage it.