A nice welcome back, by the way

So yesterday, I get in at about 2:30 PM, go right to work, leave around 7P, walking down the oh-so-familiar streets close to the afterschool house(or what once was the afterschool house; you heard about this, right?)

And who rounds the corner in front of me, but...

Lou-is, Lou-is, PREEEEE-cious Lou-is!
(Hee hee, this picture cracks me up. He is a whiner if I ever knew one.)

We caught up, he told me twice that they burned down the afterschool building, he asked me about one of the other afterschool teachers.
What a wonderful way to come back to the city :)

Oh, I am not quite sleeping. Oh, I am fast in bed.

Man. I'm pretty tired, but can't sleep. Now, I know that I probably feel nothing compared to four friends who have had babies in the last few months, but let's see... I've been awake for about 30 of the last 34 hours. That's a lot, right?

So I'm back in Philly. I have a job. I start school next week. I am apartment hunting. When did this all happen?!

The weather here is over 40 degrees cooler than when I left. I haven't worn closed-toed shoes since a hike three weeks ago, and I haven't worn them for non-athletic purposes since winter. My bones are damp and I should at least put on some socks.

It's weird to be back here but not under a program's regime like I was when I left. And how it'd been for the entire time I was in Philly up until now. I can go drink beer without penalty. I could have beer wherever I'm gonna live. I could watch TV if I had one. I can go to whichever church I want. I don't have to write newsletters!

This is going to be a strange few weeks, a strange season altogether. Maybe I'll be diligent in writing in this blog to process? Maybe I'll never write in it again? The suspense is killing you, no?

A little something from my trip to Washington:

(Scene: It is Grant's first night with his new car. He is standing by it and I say, "Okay, lemme get a picture with you and your car." He whinely and seriously says, "Ugh, noooo. I hate this kinda stuff. And posed pictures are so stupid." He climbs in his car to do something and I take a picture of the car anyway. And what do I see, but...)

... another reason why my little brother is one of the funniest people I know. He's a natural.

Newman, the dog to end all dogs

Our dog Newman is the greatest dog in the world. There is no room for argument about this. Here is why, but please know that there is much more proof.











He's a long-haired miniature dachshund. He weighs in at about 9 pounds and will be 9.5 years old at the end of the month. He's got some pretty pure bloodlines, whatever significance that holds for you. He has never really fulfilled his purpose as a badger hunter, unless you count chasing squirrels on the fence, crapping, and digging holes in the backyard for absolutely no reason as purpose.

However, I wanted to post on Newman because last night and into today, he did something amazing.

He slept and lay in my bed for over 12 hours without getting up. OVER. 12. HOURS. When he got up, it was with reluctance to get down to pee in the morning.

Don't worry, he's not sick or anything. He's just a huge mama's boy and if my mom's not around, he does pretty much does nothing. Can you guess where he is right now? That's right: laying at my side as I type this, as he has been the entire time I've been typing.

Although you are probably overwhelmed by the sheer... what's a good word here... PERFECTION... STRENGTH OF CHARACTER... of Newman, after the initial shock, feel free to comment on how there is no better dog in the whole friggin world. Thank you.

P → Q, and Q → R... then P → R.

If...
I pace around the first floor of our house and stop to open the fridge nearly a dozen times to see if, by a four-second glance, I can find something to eat that doesn't require any prep, (P)
then...
I will end up crossing the street in hopes of a single slice of pizza, but end up ordering a small pizza which will take 20 minutes for them to bake. (Q)

If...
I will end up crossing the street in hopes of a single slice of pizza, but end up ordering a small pizza which will take 20 minutes for them to bake, (Q)
then...
I will have to walk home from said pizza joint, wait, go pick it up, and walk home again. (R)

Therefore,
If I will have to walk home from said pizza joint, wait, go pick it up, and walk home again (R), then I am still moving around when I should be eating. (P, roughly)

I finally understand hypothetical syllogism. Good thing I took that logic class twice- life makes so much sense.