Serious Business

First off, an apology.  A number of my loyal legion of fans have expressed concern at the lack of updates to my blog.  While I can appreciate the distress this has caused some of you I would like to make it quite clear that it is in fact all Mrs G’s fault.

She has had me working under a very strict chore regime.  Just this morning, for instance, I have had to clean the bathroom, spray and polish the apartment, do the laundry (clothes currently in dryer – no doubt SWMBO will expect me to iron them today as well), make a cup of tea and make a pot of coffee.  And it’s only just turned 10 o’clock!

When I’m not being run into the ground in this manner she decides that she should get priority on the laptop for the trivial business of writing essays and such like.  Fortunately she has a very busy schedule today so I’ve decided to make the most of the opportunity and share some more ramblings.

Having purchased an American Xbox 360 not so long ago I have been able to indulge in a spot of gaming when Mrs G deigns to allow me some free time.  That I have repeatedly saved the universe from complete destruction several times has had absolutely no bearing on the lack of blog updates I can assure you.

I had to use my amazing hacking skills to get my 360 connected to Xbox Live but I can now game and chat with my online friends whenever I like.  It’s as though I never left the UK.

It’s actually getting cold in New Haven now.  It can still be mild during the day but short sleeves in the evening are now a no-no.  We’re planning a trip to New York sometime in the very near future to stock up on winter woollies.  And to do a bit of sightseeing.

Other trips we’re currently looking at include Vermont, Florida and Boston.  Each trip will of course be the subject of an in-depth blog entry.  We spent part of our honeymoon in Boston ten years ago (December ‘98) and are hoping we’ll be able to go again somewhere around the time of our anniversary.

“Enough of all this” I hear you cry.  “We want to hear about important things”.  Of course you do dear readers, so without further ado let me satisfy your urgent need to learn of significant matters.

Cereal.  After the Apple Jacks ran out we took the advice of a number of our American friends and went with Cinnamon Toast Crunch (a very crunchy cereal made of toasted cinnamon squares) and Cap’n Crunch’s Peanut Butter Crunch (balls of crunchy peanut butter tasting stuff).

Cap’n Crunch’s Peanut Butter Crunch is possibly the greatest cereal ever created.  Seriously.  How could something containing Niacinamide, Thiamin Mononitrate and Pyridoxine Hydrochloride (among other things) not be fabulous?

Once we finished those I bought a box of Newman’s Own Sweet Enough which is flakes with bits of strawberries.  Kind of like Special K.  While this may not seem terribly exciting compared to other cereals I’ve mentioned I bought it the week following the legendary actor’s death.  It seemed a fitting tribute (much easier than eating 50 boiled eggs in any event).

We’re currently nearing the end of our Maple Pecan Crunch (you can probably work that one out) and Reese’s Puffs (Hershey’s Cocoa & Reese’s Peanut Butter Sweet and Crunchy Corn Puffs).

I hope you are as excited as I am about what comes next!!

Must dash for now, Mrs G’s just got home and I need to look busy.

Season of Mists

For most of the time that we’ve been here the weather has been fabulous.  We’ve had a couple of days rain recently though and there’s occasionally a bit of a chill in the air.  However, it’s still warm enough that I usually wander around in a short-sleeved top, even during the evenings.  Some of the greens are starting to turn to yellow, pumpkins are sitting on steps and Mrs G is shopping for warm clothes.  Fall is here.

We’ve pretty much settled into a rhythm now.  Mrs G has her timetable for studies and has graciously given me a timetable of household duties although I somehow still seem to need reminding to do the vacuuming.

I’m sitting in on (or auditing as it’s referred to) one of Mrs G’s classes - Godly Scepticism: Ecclesiastes and Its Reception in Early Christian Tradition.  For those of you not familiar with Ecclesiastes (also known as Qoheleth) this Hebrew phrase will give you a feel for what it’s about:

הֲבֵל הֲבָלִים אָמַר קֹהֶלֶת, הֲבֵל הֲבָלִים הַכֹּל הָבֶל

I hope that’s clear.

It roughly translates as "Hebel, hebel says the teacher, all is hebel.”  Hebel (pronounce hevel) is variously translated as meaningless or vanity (in the old sense of the word).  A better translation (arguably) would be absurd (in the sense used by Camus).

I hope that’s clear.

The class meets twice a week (Mondays and Wednesdays) from 1:30 till 3:00 as in taken by (the rather excellent) Professor Carolyn Sharp who has a particular interest in the area of irony.

For someone who spends a lot of his thought time bimbling about (or perhaps bumbling as the spell-check has helpfully suggested) in the Holy Idea Trinity of Non-Theism, Agnosticism and Atheism it’s refreshing to engage with a biblical book that engages with injustice, meaninglessness and general existential angst.  That it advocates having and enjoying a drink is a bonus!

The other major bonus is that I don’t actually have to do any work.  I just do the reading, turn up and once in a while make a comment.  I do act as a sounding board for Mrs G though and I proof-read her assignments.  It’s a great chance to practice passive-aggression if she’s annoyed or upset me.  I take out my giant red marker pen and gleefully highlight any errors in her papers.

I leave you today with this thought taken out of context from Ecclesiastes Chapter 2, Verse 24:

a wild ass at home in the wilderness,

in her heat sniffing the wind!

Who can restrain her lust?

Oops.  Sorry.  That’s from Jeremiah, Chapter 2, Verse 24.

The Ecclesiastes quote is:

There is nothing better for mortals than to eat and drink, and find enjoyment in their toil.