GOOD MORNING
Craziness

Inspired by the harrowing relationships in the 1981 epic Reds, Jennifer said this week that if I was in a terrible accident and she had to choose between my death or me living as a educated potato – she would want the vegetable. I think it’s sort of crazy to wish such a life both for the rotting spud and the hopeless gardener. But at least she wants to keep me around.

I’m frantically busy this week getting ready to present a paper in an academic conference on Inner Eurasia – which incidentally I am also co-organizing. These things really take a lot of energy. It’s like a small wedding. You think it will be easy because you aren’t decorating a reception hall or church or anything just taking everyone to a restaurant after the ceremony in the park. Then you realize you forgot to get a wedding coordinator, and you sat in the wrong corner, and everything is blowing up in your face, and it’s probably going to rain. I’m sure we’ll survive.

School is wrapping up for the semester and air is warmer and the dogs are barking their loudest; all of which makes it hard to sleep during the day but also makes it nice to think that spring is here and summer will be over and gone before I can say ni hao piaoliang like Zach does to his girlfriend. Nothing but blue skies today.