CheetahhhhhhhBlog Mark III

I had to let it happen; I had to change. Couldn’t stay all my life down at heel, looking out of the window, staying out of the sun. So I chose freedom, running around trying everything new, but nothing impressed me at all; I never expected it to. Don’t cry for me, Madison. The truth is I never left you. All through my wild days, my mad existence, I kept my promise, don’t keep your distance. And as for fortune, as for fame, I never invited them in, though it seemed to the world they were all I desired. They are illusions; they are not the solutions they promise to be. The answer was here all the time. I love you and hope you love me. Don’t cry for me, Madison. The truth is I never left you…

My blogging activity is inversely proportional to the about of business I am dealing with in the real world. I’m very busy right now.

Real quick…

12 more teaching days, then exams, then GO. Chicago here we come.

Was accepted for an MBA at the University of Cumbria in England and AUAF is funding half the tuition. Start in Jan. Will have to spend a summer in Cumbria in northern England, which should be fun. Will be a bit of a drain on money, time, and my intellectual ability to take on tasks, but I will worry about this all later.

This is combined with me agreeing to do overtime next semester for more $$… so next semester is going to be a real bitch I think, excuse my French.

Tristan is starting to make real strides with talking.

Anyway it’s 447PM Kabul time and that means I have 3 minutes to walk across campus to my class, so cheers mates.

Karzai is holding a “loya jurga” which means a grand council and because of security risks (Johnny Taliban would love to launch a few rockets into the jurga) movement around the city will be restricted and there will be no class Wed and Thurs which means I have a mini vacation coming. This semester has been interrupted so many times by various events that we might as well write it off at this point. Seriously. But I get paid whether class is in session or not and my tickets Stateside are in 5 weeks so no complaints.

One of the items I had shipped here from LL Bean was a Merino wool hooded sweatshirt which is my favorite piece of clothing now by far, indeed I’m going to get another in a different color. Somebody commented at the office that a “hoodie” wasn’t professional and I pointed out that it was a Merino.

I am working on finishing off our case of Heineken which cost me $120 ($120 because it’s illegal). In the States I’m going to get myself a few bottles of Talisker, and one of the economics professors is excited to have a dram with me. Indeed if you see Talisker, dad, please grab me 3 bottles.

Planning a ski trip to the UP with my sister over new year’s, tremendously excited…

So it’s our 6th wedding anniversary. Van is getting some ruby earrings but she doesn’t know this yet. We’re going out, were planning on going to L’Atmo, but it’s freakin’ cold here in the foothills of the Himalayas and I don’t know that we really want to sit out in the garden, which is the whole point behind L’Atmo.

I have been enjoying my Eid vacation, most especially taking naps in the afternoon. Delicious.

Got to end this post quickly because Van is finishing her shower and is about to walk in, and doesn’t know about her present yet…

So it’s official. The senate met yesterday and I resigned as the Chairman of the Curriculum Committee. This is a tremendous weight off my shoulders and means a lot less work and a lot less political hassle. The Chair of the Curriculum Committee is a highly policial position. I managed it but I’m glad to get that monkey off my back. I am now the Chairman of the Faculty Development Committee, which is good for the resume as it broadens my administrative experience and also places me in charge of a moderately big pot of money. I now need to write due diligence procedures. One of my students is a grant supervisor for some NGO here in town and he sent me an evaluation checklist, which is helpful, though he couldn’t give me a lot of information because it’s secret for some reason.

I have started the countdown. 44 days until we leave for home. The States, that is. Will be good to go home. Vanessa is planning large cosmetics purchases among other things.

Bug had his first parent-teacher meeting and Bug is an excellent student in all respects, actually the teacher said she didn’t have much to say. I have been in the same position with excellent students. What can you say except “Good job”? He only comment is she’s trying to teach him to stop whining when he wants something. Hope she has success with that one. He’s at that stage where he whines and screams when he don’t get what he wants.