It's Official. When One Has a Craving for Indian Food One Must Remember His Stomach and Its Reaction to Indian Food

I was done in years ago with spicy bang, bang shrimp. There were four jumbo shrimp in a spicy sauce and I couldn't stop devouring them. I swear I burned a whole in my stomach that day (over a decade ago). I haven't eaten much Indian food since, but the idea of a samosa sounded about right, and they had a buffet, and I can't stop eating because of the flavors. 

At one point, a waiter came over to me and said, "Sir, you're sweating." Duh...I'm eating Indian food. 30 minutes later my stomach and intestines hated me. Misery of all miseries. I can cook Indian food at home because I control the spices, but going out is the death of me. At first, I was like, "What is this deliciousness?" but towards the end I knew I'd regret it.

I regret it. 

The green God painted on the wall is what I most likely looked like last night why I was digesting. I loved every bit. I hate every burn that wouldn't leave me afterwards.

Heading to the rheumatologist this morning and then to get a campus parking pass for the new vehicle. One class is graded and the next class materials start arriving today. 

I am in "let's lay under a blanket and read until it warms back up" mode.  I have to be smarter about my middle-age stomach. Looks like salads from now on. I think it was the green bean dish that had the spices that were the death of me. It was so good and I devoured it. Then it devoured me.

Plus I have a cold. Happy times. But this too shall pass. 

We Named This One Jack Sparrow. The Aviary Funerals are Simply a Way of Life Now. Poor Fellow.

It's somewhat comical at this point. Well, it's been comical since the beginning, but the ritual of birds somehow taking their last flight onto Pam's patio has become a place of storytelling, singing, congregation, and burial. This one had to wait, however, because I was trapped inside a dealership purchasing Katniss.

Pam started the playlist with Bye Bye Birdie from the musical. Of course, I matched her with Fly Away  from John Denver. The result was cellphone tribute as we took Jack Sparrow to his last flight, with a mourning dove on a telephone wire watching over us.

Playlist: A Top Ten for Bird Funerals

Bye-Bye Birdie - Charles Strouse

Fly Away - John Denver (with Olivia Newton John)

Freebird - Lynard Skinner

Three Little Birds - Jackson Five

Rockin' Robin - Elton John

Fly Like an Eagle - Steve Miller Band

When Doves Cry - Prince

Birdhouse in Your Soul - They Might Be Giants

Sparrow - Simon & Garfunkel

Firebird Suite - Igor Stravinsky - Toronto Symphony Orchestra

And in my day of grading, I lived the suspense of NCAA volleyball. Nothing like the powerful teams coming together for back-to-competion. Always a nail-biter and intense on the heart. After launching Jack Sparrow, however, a day of sports is the way to go (especially seeing the hitters fly like they do).  

Marquette should hold their heads high. Phew. They can play. Cards won it in five games, but dang that team from Wisconsin. They played with heart, muscle, mind, and spirit. Amazing play.

 

Had to Say Bon Voyage to the Hulk (Kermit). Welcome Katniss Nevergreen (Because She's Blue) and the Turning of a New Leaf

It's been an interesting 24 hours in the Crandall household. Went in for an oil change, but learned that necessary repairs (emergencies) would cost more than the car was worth. I could pay the repairs, maybe keep the car (my Hulk, my Kermit) alive for another year or I can do the big boy thing and start anew. These are the battles of car ownership. I've had the Hulk almost as long as I've been in Connecticut. I just didn't see the financial benefits.

So, I went with a 2025 Crosstreck Wilderness mobile to help me navigate another 15 years. Not my favorite thing to do: to commit, to spend money, to be selfish in my decision-making, and to take a chance on another decade of travel. But I did it. 

Katniss Nevergreen has arrived and she's in my driveway. We won't discuss the stress of dealerships or the the frustrations of insurance actually taking our calls, but after two days all I settled, and we move forward with Chase banking, new car payments, and the fear of driving a new car (because she is so pretty). 

I wish I could say I had more hours in the day NOT spent in a dealership, but the last two days have been rather frantic and fast. 

I am proud of my purchase, hopeful for the future, and totally engrossed in NCAA volleyball. It was a later time for the Fairfield Women's Stags as St. Thomas put up a tremendous fight and took it to five. So, I had to stay up late to watch the girls I've loved supporting to face Minnesota (the home team for this arm of the tournament). 

Such is life. Technology in the new cars are something else...and I will learn. I am awakening this Saturday with reflection, wonder, worry, and hope. So, it's a normal Saturday. 

I love the new whip (in the terms of the boys who always refer to my driving machine in such terms). Let's see what adventures we can have. 

I haven't even had a chance to explore these new wheels, but that is what the joy of life is all about. The days are coming. 

And Just Like That, Fifteenth-Year of First Semesters at Fairfield University Comes to a Close: It Doesn't Seem Possible, But Here We Are

I hosted another Explorations Summit yesterday, welcoming another generation of potential teachers to southern Connecticut. We did round-tables, and all the inquiry projects were presented on a cold, yet productive morning. The students were exhausted, and I could feel their days after the holiday break, here comes finals, energy. Phew. They are exhausted (and I suppose I am wiped out, too). 

I came home to watch NCAA volleyball, after stopping at a mall to get Mimi Sue's birthday gift. Malls? What happened to them? I feel like I grew up at Sibley's, a May Company, during a time when Malls were the thing. It was a ghost town, and I was spooked by the lack of stores and the evidence of a time that is no longer. 

Then again, the Great Northern Mall, which basically helped me fund my undergraduate degree at Binghamton University, is a way that is no longer. What once was thriving, booming, and thrilling, is now a relic of the past. Crazy to think such a culture is not even a figment of the new generation's memories. It was good to me and it took all my energy not to treat myself to a Cinnabon.  

Of course, this puts all of us into a consumer culture. I don't thing today's generation consumes in the same way as I made commentary on a student's hoody that read "All Boys Lie," in which I learned it was a brand that I never heard of. All boys and girls do lie.

I'm heading into this Friday ready to grade, making big decisions for a vehicular change on a dying hulk, and simply thinking about the routines of it all. Teaching excellence remains an excellence I believe in and I'm invested unto that. 

What a life. And it's NCAA Volleyball season so I have that distraction. More to come on Saturday. 

Thankful to the Bronx Whitestone for Not Being As Bad As Could Be in the Annual LaGuardia Drop off of Chitunga After Thanksgiving

It's a good thing he travels midweek and arranges flights that are in the afternoon, allowing for an airport trip at better times of the day. It's only 56 miles, but those 56 miles can last hours at certain times of the day. We left around noon and I had him there by 1:15, which was a record. I was also back at the University by 2:30, which I'm thanking the Great Whatever for providing. The multiple lanes, crazed drivers, frustrated New Yorkers, and all-over-the-place signage can make for a wonky time. Last year, as I left the airport, I was direct to Manhattan and had to loop back to I-95. I didn't want that to happen again.

I also am not a lover of being on bridges, high up over water, with wall-to-wall traffic high winds. It's white-knuckle driving and I hate it. 

Dropping Chitunga off, I looped back around in a more sane way and was happy that the GPS on my phone returned to a more normal route and set of operations. Of course, crossing the Whitestone again always makes me feel like I'm driving up a roller coaster. As soon as I'm on the other side I'm like, "Okay...now we can get home with less stress." I feel this way when crossing the bridge into Newport, Rhode Island, and don't even get me started on the bridges driving to DC. All my claustrophobic tendencies kick in and I simply want to chill out.

Which was easy to do once I hit Connecticut, because the roads are paved, there are less NY potholes, and even with crowded lanes, the straight-away is normal to navigate (we do it daily). 

I've been on the Merritt an I-95 when I've wanted to pull my hair out. That was not the case yesterday. There were a couple of hiccups, but it was not the insanity that it most often is. 

But I'm off to work early. Last 8 a.m....and need to leave at 6:30 a.m. to go the 14 miles, because you never know about CT morning traffic. 

The lives we live. And here I go. 

Oh, and I should say that I found a nice photo over the water...it doesn't look this nice from the Bronx and above.

Must Be the Last Week of Classes Because It's Time for Workshops and Cake. One More Class to Go.

This morning is Chitunga's last day at home. I love that he arrived for his birthday, stays a week, and makes a way to see his ol' stomping grounds and friends. I love that Lys comes and visits, too, and they settle into a Karal tradition. There are perks, too, to having my car kidnapped so I am forced to sit home and get work done (says the man who hit submit on two projects this morning). 

Stopped by the Mahoney for the last volleyball practice on campus, before they leave today for Minneapolis. They're excited and I got to hear about the scout reports they are working with. Gave them Christmas gifts and then headed to class.

After class, which reminded me of being in an airplane, redeye, in when everyone is trying to sleep, the students were library-quiet getting their work done. It felt strange. 

Afterwards, I came home to get Chitunga for one more out-to-dinner event. He selected Paradise Pizza, and we had a good white pie with spinach and tomato, and a gorgonzola salad. Good call. 

Now I get to drive him to Laguardia for his afternoon flight and return back to the Homefront to prep for tomorrow morning's class. Pray to the traffic Gods for smooth sailing. At least the rain has subsided. 

As for the cake...it was a small crew, but they devoured it. I need to up my cake-came, as I rely to much on this recipe, but it works. They're happy and I'm happy. 

Happiness is what we all should be seeking these days.

Entering the December Season of Tranquil Lights by the Tree and a Dog Who Seems to Chill with the Season Like I Do

For those of us in literacy who present at national conferences, only to return to the hectic nature of turkey opportunities, I always welcome the addition of lights and evenings (that are much darker, much sooner) on Mt. Pleasant. For the past week I've enjoyed evenings with Chitunga, Alyssa, and Karal, and soon after the departures, it will be me, the dog, and the tree. I need such peace in my life as last classes are taught, end-of-the-semester, frenzied meetings are the norm, and all those projects come in for grading. 

I know others enjoy similar traditions.

I will be teaching the last YA Literature class tonight and will follow with the last Explorations class later this week. I know the close-to-the-end return home for many, brought them back to the reality that so much is due rather quickly. The organized and planned have worked on this to relieve the stress. Those who are last minute, have a trickier time contending with the stress of it all. As a student, I was not a fan of such stress so I paced myself accordingly. I realize as a teacher, though, that is not the norm as procrastination and the road to good intentions are much more common.

I am thinking of all laboring to get in the work at this time of the year and my fellow academics biting their nails that the turn-around for grades comes quickly. 

This is why we need our lights, holiday music, a good bottle of bourbon, and the ability to inhale/exhale, because this too shall pass.

There are times I wish I had it as easy as Karal. She lives a very embattled life, indeed.