Our prof for Hebrew is a doctoral candidate at a nearby university, and this is first class at Grand Old Seminary. He hasn't quite gotten the ethos of the place (no, we don't skip class, and yes, the default is pass-fail for Biblical languages) but he seems quite bright, and eventually I hope he'll stop treating us like undergraduates. On the other hand, he seems to have a real passion for the subject, so it may turn out to be a wonderful class. We were all pretty shell-chocked by the time we left class this morning.
Afternoon was consumed by a lecture on worship services in our world, and the philosophy and variety of the services during the week. Interesting stuff, but we were all fading sitting there in a warm chapel after lunch. A bird flew in and perched on the altar crucifix - it added a moment of levity and interest that kept us from falling asleep while the Dean was speaking.
Then I went home to make supper and take StrongOpinions to the airport - she's off to her dad's and thence on to college. Here's what we learned:
- you don't really need to take everything you think you might need when you're flying to college
- geckos are not allowed by Southwest Airlines
- trying to smuggle a gecko onto an airplane is stressful for all
- trying to smuggle a gecko in the pouch of a jockstrap is not a good idea. A looser pouch under a flowing peasant skirt works well.
The jockstrap (actually a soccer jock, which has a pouch in which a male soccer player would insert a plastic protective cup) was PH's idea. At six pm, we were experimenting with every possible thing to take Moses the gecko off to college, including a sock and a pair of PH's BVDs...that was when he suggested the aforementioned jock. 'Twas a sight to behold. If she were flatter on top, I would have suggested one of my super-sized bras, but --alas --she has inherited my significant bosom. All I could think of was if TSA or the airline had patted her down, they would have thought they were having a "TransAmerica" moment. Thre we were, a seminarian, a minister who just celebrated the 20th anniversary of his ordination, and a Buddhist agnostic 18 year old who wants to save the world, all trying to smuggle a gecko onto a plane.
Someday we'll laugh about all this. Right now I just want another piece of chocolate. It wasn't quite the way I pictured sending my baby girl off to college, but it was true to who we all are.
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7 comments:
Priceless....
Good luck with Hebrew. Loved it, Not.
Love it now, yes.
Hi!
I assume Moses and the college freshman both arrived without incident? :–) That was a great image!
I once smuggled a piece of palm from Palm Sunday in Spain back into the US and was so worried about it I almost made myself sick... That now sounds simple in comparison to gecko smuggling!
Packing, moving, etc. chaos here. It's good to hear your move in went well. There's a very bad saga on my end regarding my school's housing office, move in dates, etc. I think they got their training at FEMA.
I learned introductory Hebrew back in undergrad from my best friend (now a rabbi). I really liked it and I am very fond of it when compared with how I feel about Greek. Sadly, I have forgotten most of what I learned. You will learn to love reading right to left and having no vowels (just wait until they take those cheater marks away!) If you can track down a Hebrew school kid somewhere, have them teach you the alefbet song. It helps. Well, maybe not, but it's still kind of fun.
I'm laughing my butt off over here about the gecko? Did it and daughter arrive safely at college?
I can see it all in my mind's eye! What a hoot!
Blessings to Strong Opinions as she starts college and to Mom who will miss her but is also starting something new.
The gecko and the daughter arrived in New England safely. The next leg of the journey, out to Colorado, is the responsibility of her father. As long as the creature didn't expire on my watch, or the daughter get busted by TSA, I'm happy.
Hebrew was ever so much better today. The prof loosened up, we had some small group work, which was fun, and I aced the quiz. Now I've got to go study my points and syllabification and such. An awful lot of material (one semester's worth) in three weeks. I'm gonna be fried! For today, at least, I'm enjoying it.
Sophia, sounds like life in the Big City or at least the move has been tres stressful. My sympathies - it was hard enough to do when things went smoothly. Having disorganized poor communicators running the show would drive me to strong drink.
what a hilarious story about the gecko. I can't even IMAGINE a gecko in a bra... no way....
I've smuggled back tile from Spain but never a gecko.
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