Yes, I am awesome, Andrew told me to say it's so

Hot – not humid yet but the middle of the day is getting’ raunchy. Brain hurts from other people mistaking it for a smart one. I’ve been moved out of the classroom and am now documenting various policies and procedures for the school encompassing everything from how students are withdrawn to graduating criteria and many other super fun things that initially sounded exciting and flattering to be asked to do but has turned out to be a game of politics and reassurance, telling the westerners that they are not threatened, telling the Sudanese that I ma not their savior and, when they can’t be circumvented, having tea with the Emeratis whilst trying to convince them (wrongly) that more accountability won’t affect their ability to show up late, make other people do their work and wander the hallways with a sense of superiority and work well done. Thank God the Manager is one of those rare very hard working, level headed, interested and knowledgeable guys who will protect me if I fail in any of the above mentioned tasks/obfuscations/ploys. It’s fun and interesting but man, have I had some wacky conversations in the last coupe of weeks. I have also (and I only include this because Andrew claims I should toot my horn more) been asked to review a paper for publication written by tutor at Leicester. Now I know he is in part including me because it’s a good teaching and motivating technique and he may very well delete any comments I make without reading them. But, I am gullible and a sucker and thus have allowed myself to feel pretty good about it. It’s on some of the topics that I have been researching and interesting. Of course, along with the affirmation comes a feeling of immense pressure not to say anything stupid which is always made infinitely more likely when you’re worrying about it.

Finally, the reforging of my body on the anvil of Yoga is proceeding apace. I am lees successful in waking up everyday at five than I would like to be but on the days that I do I am establishing a fairly consistent and progressing well. A little every day is better than a lot once a week and I am trying to stay on top of giving myself a bit of work regularly. I can now work through the salutations and the standing poses of the Ashtanga Primary Series without killing myself and it feels great. The seated poses are much harder and will probably take a couple of years to do with any semblance of grace and accuracy. The weekend I was on was fantastic and I was sore for days but I did all kinds of things I didn’t think I could do. The headstands were not fun at first, ‘cause if you don’t get it right you feel like you’re going to break your neck, which you won’t do (don’t worry) it just feels like it until you fall into the right balance.

I can’t remember how much I have told you guys about ashtanga yoga so I don’t want to go too far into it here but I am loving it and you can find out about online if you want to. Ashtanga.net is the site of one of the main western teachers and there are some good links on it.

Anyway, I’m just about ready to see some more entires on this blog!!! It';s the me and mom show at the moment. (hello mommy) Where are the pictures of my ill niece, all covered in baby sickness goo! Let’s go! Where's my chemical formulae and pictures of Kabul backstreets, ok wee, actually, don't take any of those. but..

Anyway, that’s me for now. Gotta go to work.

Coming Out Of My Funk

Hello all,

I just got back from a 20 minute brisk walk and though this morning I felt very weak, I felt rather strong this evening on the trail, despite some breathing problems.

This cold is now 3 weeks old and I'm ready to bid it goodbye.

I'm leaving Thursday on a trip. The current plan is to arrive at Cleve's Friday evening and leave for Morro Bay further north on Sunday morning and then on to Monterey where I will spend a couple of days and then most probably head back though I've never been to Santa Cruz and may wonder over that way before heading back. I have to be home by April 10

I love you all and will have my laptop with me so stay in touch.

Mom

Pretty Flowers, For Me???!!! Yes!!!

Hi All,

I had a very pleasant surprise today and wanted to share it with all of you.

These gorgeous flowers arrived on my doorstep quite unexpectedly.

Thank you Chris and Katie so much. It's ironic that congratulations came from my family rather than from the Foundation or the City, but there you go right?

I'm so grateful for your appreciation from afar.

Hugs and Kisses to all of you,

Mom/Gail

The Mother Unit Checking In

Troglodytes indeed and this the trio Mattman, Chrissums and Drewski are the second generation. It's been a difficult 4 decades trying to follow the often dense, oblique and downright nasty/rude ramblings of the Mangham Men. But alas we women who hitched our starts to you love you guys anyway. Besides who else will cook for us, tote the barge and life the bale?

I will check in later when I have something to share.

Goes without saying that I miss you AND really am in awe of the vision of Chris doing Yoga.

Mom

-ow- more later

I tole you I tole you

I tole you I was on and now I prove to it!!

In less than 90 minutes I will be sitting in a room full of stretchy people starting my Intensive Ashtanga Weekend with an instructor from Switzerland. I will not be the stretchiest one there. Most of them, except for Kate and a friend of ours are instrucors themselves. BUT I CAN'T WAIT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I am soon going to be super stretchy and be able to slip unnoteced beneath closed doors and around corners. I am reforging my body in the fires of Yoga and things could get ugly. Let's hope it's not a repeat of the gym class in Japan where I launched myself off my stomach of a swiss ball and hutled into the butt of a small woman in front of me causing much dismay and not a little hilarity. WOn't be doing that again.

Anyway, I'm here now, thanks for starting the new blog Andrew-this is great. I'll let yu allknow howit goes in a couple of days and tell you the ancient secret I learn.

And now I go to Worship at the Lotus feet of the Masters...

An Appreciation and Celebration

First the appreciation. to the Arch-chemist for stepping up in a time when he was needed, despite pressures both internal and generated by fulminating compunds of questionable origin. here's to you lad

And the celebration. The male creatures among this group have been blessed by being surrounded by strong and loving women. People who mostly just smile when we won't stop for directions, when we offer answers to life's little riddles when all that was needed was a hug, and when we tend towards rude jokes at the most sentimental parts of movies. Seldom have a bunch of belching, behind scratching troglodytes been so fortunate as we.

So, taking notice of the International Day of the Woman, let me just say. Damn! we a lucky bunch