More perspective - if Notre Dame wins today, it'll be their third title. Making them the next winningest team after UNC's twenty.

Made of awesome: the refs are women and so are the announcers. One day, the coaches will be, too.

It's humid like woah and there's just a crush of people and all kinds of strange smells some good some not so, but there is a definite feeling of, "We are so not in Kansas anymore!"

Oh man, I know SO WELL what you mean, all of it. (Worms in the water, eek!) But I'm so, so glad you had such a good experience the next day and got to see so much of the city. I can't wait for more pictures and video and stories!

Heather and Jon's first Indian train ride that almost wasn't: All of our train tickets were booked except for Mumbai to Jaipur-our first leg-where we were waitlisted. Our driver assured us that "anything is possible." (He was also fond of saying "No worry, no hurry, chicken curry. Take it easy!) We get to the station and the train is full so even the waitlist is cancelled Raj helps us talk to the ticket taker who after a considerable amount of money, gives us two seats (there was more drama getting the physical tickets be fore the train left, but we got them with the updated amount.

Jon went to the top bunk to sleep (he had been very ill that day, and we'd gone to Prince of Wales musem which has no ac so he was pretty tired and miserable) I hung out with the family across the aisle and they shared their dinner and their litlle boy came over and fell asleep on my seat with his head on my leg.

The ticket taker came by, and I showed my ticket and passport and he just shook his head and smiled. About an hour later I ask Jon to switch so I can sleep. The ticket taker comes back and tells Jon it is not his seat and he needs to go to another car. I don't want him to go, but he is afraid to argue so he leaves. The family I was visiting with starts arguing with the ticket taker about separating a married couple.

Meanwhile, there is no actual seat for Jon so he takes his backpack and sits between the train thinking he'll tough it out. A chaiwalla tells Jon his ticket isn't real and he will have to get off at the next station. Jon pleads not to be separated from me and the ticket taker comes over smiling and shaking his head at Jon who is now on his knees and causing a sceene. He offers the guy more money, but now with the crowd he makes a big deal about not taking bribes. He says we can stay together and on the train, but we have to sit with peoples' luggage (and ours) on an upper berth smushed in for the 12 hours of the remainder of the trip.

Now I am tired and miserable and visibly upset. There may have been some quiet tears. Then a couple of guys come over and tell us the ticket taker is a very bad man and that they and their family bought extra tickets for their luggage. One of the guys was going to get married in Jaipurand he and his family of 22 would let us sit with them. They moved their luggage and gave us the bunks to sleep in. The next morning, we all woke up and had some kind of awesome Rajistani veg they shared with us for breakfast and talked about marriage and our countries and played with the groom's rowdy nephew. They were lifesavers!

The groom, Rakesh, emailed Jon a few weeks later to see that the rest of the trip went ok.

Next time: Khan and Jaipur!

Yay Rakesh and family!

Mrs. Rakesh is a very lucky woman. She gets to marry into an awesome family with a very kind husband (who, it must be said, was very easy on the eyes).

That sort of thing always must be said.

DJ, loving the tales! Keep 'em coming.

Taking a quick tea and cookies break from lesson plans and syllabi writing. I have all of my syllabi done, and need just 1 lesson plan...and then, I can start grading essays! WOO.

I think I will watch Friday's SPN before starting the essays, though, as I have been working steadily on school stuff since about 11.

Also, I have assigned Beloved and The Poisonwood Bible. I am really excited to teach both of those, as I love them and have read both many times, but never taught them.

Oh, yay, Daisy Jane! I am so glad you are home safe and sound and I am so excited to hear your travel stories! Yay for the kindness of strangers.

I just made a recipe from a new cookbook I just got for Chanukah. (Appetite for Reduction, if anyone's curious.) It's upside-down shepherd's pie -- a scoop of mashed potatoes topped by a scoop of filling. The potatoes are actually a mix of potatoes and cauliflower, and the filling is made with lentils, mushrooms, and veggies. I made some chard with balsamic vinegar to have with it, and it's all yum.

I am at Hansel & Gretel opera. It's in English. No clue what they are saying. Vibratto is set to max with these student opera singers. Thankfully the orch sounds nice.