countdown

Welcome to another colour scheme. I got tired of all the pink, and I wanted the menu on the left. Everything should be this easy. On the other hand, to be honest, it's probably a good thing everything is not this easy.

It's Botswana (Independence) Day in Botswana, and the jacarandas are in bloom. It's been dry as we move through the spring, and the fallen purple blossoms stand out in stark contrast to the dust in the side of the road. The screen door is open, and I can smell the first rains trying to fall.

In other news, I am out of the loop. I didn't know anything about the shoes Sarah Palin wore for her acceptance speech. I didn't know that my home institution has a new smtp server. I didn't know that scrabulous.com had been taken down and moved elsewhere. I still don't understand exactly what is going on with the bail-out business.

What I do know is that I will be standing on American soil five weeks from today, and I am trying not to panic. Somehow I must get as much data as I still can, hit the archives, help plan and run a conference, sing Handel's Messiah, pack up, say good-bye and thank you, and get out in one piece. I must remind myself to look forward to going back to the land of Trader Joe's and bagels and what-what. I must remind myself to not use phrases like what-what. I must remember this return is part of the process.

Wish me luck.