Random Thoughts

1. Do you remember in Thelma and Louise when for some unknown reason Thelma (or was it Louise) would not drive through Texas and so they had to take a big detour? Well, I am like that now with my university. I will drive miles out of my way not to have to drive down the street that it is on.

2. But yet I am stuck here busy getting things done for the Peace Corps November 1st departure. Today, for example, went to doctor to get flu, tetanus and typhoid vaccination, but since they didn't have typhoid had to go the Health Department, which requires a separate appointment. Also had to make an appointment to another doctor to get an exam for something that was noted on my physical which I left the Peace Corps, which was just intended as a suggestion to have something looked at for cosmetic reasons but now that it is on there I need to get it checked out. So that's just a little hint of what it's like when you apply to the Peace Corps, in case that is what anyone is thinking of doing. I've been told they make the application process especially tedious to see how serious you are. It was actually a lot worse for my initial assignment.

3. Some friends want to have a get together before I go. I am very ambivalent about the whole idea. I've always like the way the Jerry Orbach character left Law and Order. He doesn't tell anyone he's retiring and one day just takes a box of goods from his desk and walks out. No party, no golden watch. Reminded me of the last stanza one of my favorite poems, Solitude by Alexander Pope"Thus let me live, unseen, unknown;Thus unlamented let me die;Steal from the world, and not a stoneTell where I lie"

4. I did sign up for a marathon today. The Denver Marathon October 18th. Actually a couple weeks before that I will hike the Grand Canyon rim to rim in a day with a few friends as sort of a last preparation for the marathon. This is not as crazy as it sounds (well, maybe it is) since we did it last year. And there are people who do rim to rim to rim in a day. Now those are the real crazies.

5. Watched Obama's speech about health care tonight. I hope he pulls it off. This is no longer a theoretical discussion for me. The outcome of this debate will have a real impact on my life. Like watching a story the night before on the Newshour about people looking for jobs. When I had a job for life, it was like Lucretius says in De Rerum Natura, that there is nothing sweeter than being on dry land watching a shipwreck, or something like that. Now, I can't even watch a story about how bad the employment picture is.