This is one of my favorite poems. The Hound of Heaven is also a favorite, but its a bit long to post here. And yes, I will probably post more personal things, but not right now- today I am off to explore St. Peter in Galicantu and don't have time to compose clever blogs.

Batter my heart, three-personed God; for, you
As yet but knock, breath, shine, and seek to mend;
That I may rise, and stand, o'erthrow me, and bend
Your force, to break, blow, burn, and make me new.
I like an usurped town, to another due,
Labour to admit you, but oh, to no end,
Reason your viceroy in me, me should defend,
But is captived, and proves weak or untrue,
Yet dearly I love you, and would be loved fain,
But am betrothed unto your enemy,
Divorce me, untie, or break that knot again,
Take me to you, imprison me, for I
Except you enthral me, never shall be free,
Nor ever chaste, except you ravish me.
John Donne

Of Boosh and Backs

So, today I went to my Hebrew class again and sat in the front row (only because I was late) between a Jordainian Jew and a Polish priest. The Jew is probably 20 and quite a joker and the priest is very quite and polite. So on one side I have a boy chewing gum in my ear, throwing things across the room in into the trash can, doodling on the desks, and making jokes which I can't help laughing at, and on the other side I have a young man asking me serious questions in a polite voice and a very foreign accent. "How do you say back in Hebrew?" "What? Back?" I say in confusion- the exercise we are currently sweating over is all about big and small cakes and old ladies carrying small bags while big men carry big bags. Very exciting, but nothing to do with backs. The priest is chagrined but tries again- "Back, you know...." and he points to the illustration of the big men with big... backs!" Oh now I get it! "Bag!" Cheerfully he repeats the word after me in a forced American accent and we laugh.

Speaking of pronunciation- did you know that our President's last name isn't really Bush? It is Booosh (say that "u" as if you were oooohing over something). Very interesting.

I was going to run a spellcheck on this, but it seems to be having difficuties. Sorry. :-)