Return of the Blog, Part Deux
Well, after a quick run out on the last blog, (save it or lose it), I'm back at it. I've definitely been encouraged in this manner by my friend Mic, who enjoyed reading my postings from around the world, and is an avid blogger herself. ( - her husband's postings are on there too) I suppose it is just an extension of the diary writing that I do. Mic is coming to visit in March with her youngest offspring (six months). It should be good fun. I actually spoke to her yesterday, as opposed to just e-mailing her. The reminiscing was just so much fun! We have a lot to catch up on - we haven't seen each other in years, since a few months after the first child was born (child being now five. Child accompanying Mic is number three, aged just a few months.), and even then it had been years before that!

The run out on the last blog was due to a sudden invite to dinner. I suppose it shouldn't have seemed that sudden, as we had loosely discussed it earlier in the day, but somehow it felt that way. Not that I didn't want to go. It was a lot of fun, actually. Tex Mex for dinner, and then a browse through the Coop bookstore. Officially the trip to the bookstore was to find "A Very Quick Guide to the Bible" but of course as trips to bookstores go, it was hours of wandering, browsing, finding, and (well, for me) not purchasing anything! But it still was fun. I haven't done that for a while. Simple joys, eh?

It is just interesting to look at how I think on things these days. I find myself very much in an academic mode. I started reading a book on "Principles of Islamic Jurisprudence" (the book is one I bought in 2000 in Malaysia but never got around to reading. But interestingly, the author is of Afghani descent, describing himself on the bio on the back as coming "from a family with long standing legal and judicial service in Afghanistan." I can't help but wonder whether or not this would be the same description that the author would give of himself today. Or whether in the conservative Muslim world (the author is a professor of law at the Islamic University of Malaysia), it would be the same way. But at any rate, as I started reading, I almost automatically started drawing the parallels between the mutawadir and the hearsay rules. Good thing I'm starting school again a week from Monday and will thus no doubt grow bored of such parallels and hopefully channel such academic energy into getting As. Grades count even more in this degree really, as with the advanced standing I've been awarded, plus two credits on this internship (for credit, but graded only pass fail), leaving a grand total of (tah-dah!) 16 credits, or 8 classes. So the two this semester are a quarter of my GPA. That sounds like a lot of pressure, but it really doesn't feel like it frankly. Only two classes instead of four or five, and not putting in 60 hour weeks at work (ah, I wish, it would resolve some financial pressure), plus the fact that I'm hoping that my class in international IP licensing will dovetail nicely with my internship in IP licensing. It'll be good to go back to school, really.

My challenge for the day is far less academic, though. Mainly, I had to do tests over Christmas. Tests being a euphamism for "24 hour urine collection." Since I let myself get snowed in (I was gently teased today not to send e-mails with the phrases "a healthy 10 inches" being "lots of fun" as it was very nearly banned by the firewall system at the firm! Truly, I meant the snow! I even said the snow!), this was an easy test to do at home. But now I have to get the, um, specimen, um into the lab. I don't have a car, so this means taking the T. This could provide a corrollary to my rule that "no one likes you when you throw up on the T." Granted, no one will know, but *I* will know, and it will be a bit embarrassing.

I am plagued with cats. Currently, there are two, which seems to be one surplus to my usual requirements. Although Squeaky is exceptionally happy to have another cat in the house, so much so that I am debating getting him a kitten. A kitten, as an older cat(such as the one that is visiting) may be a bit too set in their ways to adapt. Zeke, who is visiting, is a perfectly lovely cat, and much much happier now that his nails are clipped (they were overgrown and digging into his pads). But he isnt one hundred percent adapted to having Squeaky around, despite the fact that many years ago they used to live together. Just to complement Squeaky, Zeke has his own bizarre meow. It's a festival of odd noises around here.

Off to the lab.

Anne

The Return of the Blog
Well, here I am again. I didn't post all throughout Asia, as it was a bit of a pain to write the e-mail, and then copy and paste, and log in and post, etc etc. If you're interested in reading the trauma that was Asia, my travels with a lad named "Disco Tits" (he's such a love), blindness in Mongolia, the kindness of the Finns, and all the rest, read here: .

It has been interesting being home. A lot has changed, starting with my living room. I painted it blue. And spruced up the white trim. Then I moved on to the bathroom, and am currently plotting painting the bedroom (just white again) and in fact sketching out a calligraphic mural for the bedroom wall. There needs to be a large piece of artwork there, and since I can't afford to buy one, I am going to create my own. I initially started to fret over picking an appropriate piece of text to cover such an area, but then almost immediately realized there would be nothing better for me than my favorite Pablo Neruda poem. Now I just have to decide whether to write it in the original Spanish or the translated English. I'll play with the art in both languages and see what transpires.

People have been to visit, but I have to say it didn't go well, as I've just been so tense and angry and afraid of everything. This has now changed (better living through chemistry) and I find myself trying to pick up some pieces that I really never meant to break.

Oops, must run. Sudden dinner plans. More later!
Love,
Anne